Role of the type I IFN/JAK/STAT pathway in initial process of hair cell regeneration

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K20964
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0906:Surgery related to the biological and sensory functions and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Matsunaga Mami 京都大学, 医学研究科, 助教 (00599524)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 有毛細胞 / 支持細胞 / type I IFN/JAK/STAT / モチーフ解析 / ATAC-seq

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Aiming for application to mammals that do not have the ability to regenerate hair cells, we focused on the ability to spontaneously regenerate avian cochlear hair cells. RNA-seq analysis was performed by using our established in vitro hair cell regeneration model, and we detected the type I IFN/JAK/STAT pathway as a novel candidate signal indicating its activation during initial stages of regeneration. In this study, we performed promoter region analysis (motif analysis and ATAC-seq analysis) to identify upstream molecules in order to elucidate the molecular mechanism of this pathway. Although it is currently under analysis, upstream candidate molecules in this pathway have been extracted, and we are planning to perform the functional analysis in the future.

Free Research Field

内耳再生

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

哺乳類では、聴覚を担っている感覚細胞である蝸牛有毛細胞が一旦傷害され喪失すると再生せず難聴は永続的となる。難聴は世界で最も頻度の高い身体障害として、また我が国では高齢者の5人に１人が認知症になるといわれている2025年問題の最大要因として注目されており、治療法の開発は喫緊の課題といる。鳥類の蝸牛有毛細胞は、生涯を通じて周囲に存在する支持細胞を起源とた再生が可能であるが、再生機構は一端しか解明されていない。鳥類の遺伝子情報が充実し、網羅的遺伝子発現解析が可能となった今こそ、鳥類蝸牛の旺盛な再生メカニズムを解明することは、ヒト感音難聴治療法開発のブレークスルーになると考える。