Phenotypic analysis of conventional knockout mice lacking the protein responsible for ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22591648
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Orthopaedic surgery
• Research Institution: Kurume University
• Principal Investigator: NAGATA Kensei 久留米大学, 医学部, 学長 (50140687)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TSURU Michiyo 久留米大学, 学長直属疾患プロテオミクス遺伝子治療研究室, 講師 (90368887)
• Project Period (FY): 2010-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: プロテオーム / 難病疾患 / 後縦靭帯骨化症 / モデルマウス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is an incurable disease of unknown cause, and its symptoms include spinal ligament ossification and a reduced range of motion of the limbs. After we determined the proteins that are deleted or reduced in OPLL via a proteomics analysis of the serum of patients with OPLL and healthy subjects, we created a knockout mouse model of OPLL. The knockout mice did not exhibit any special change at birth compared to wild-type mice, but we observed later increases in the weight and incidence of type 1 diabetes in the knockout mice. They also displayed hyperglycemia and after 8 months, a gait disorder (claudication) of the hind leg as well as OPLL on three-dimensional computerized tomography and through a non-decalcification bone tissue morphometric assessment.

Free Research Field

整形外科