Establishment of blood-based biomarkers to reflect age-related changes in biological membrane

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K19762
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 59:Sports sciences, physical education, health sciences, and related fields
• Research Institution: Okayama University of Science
• Principal Investigator: Kimura Nobuyuki 岡山理科大学, 獣医学部, 教授 (80392330)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-06-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 老化 / バイオマーカー / 細胞外微小胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In cynomolgus monkeys, the levels of extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted in plasma increased with aging. Proteomic analysis of plasma-derived EVs showed a significant increase in Apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) levels. Since the levels of ApoA-I in blood are considered to correlate with cognitive decline in humans, the levels of ApoA-I in plasma-derived EVs may be a new indicator of brain aging as well as lipid metabolism. On the other hand, a decrease in gonad-derived proteins such as Pregnancy zone protein was observed. This finding suggets that plasma-derived EVs could be used as a new evaluation system for reproductive functions associated with aging.

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Free Research Field

実験病理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の成果により、個体老化を簡便且つ客観的に評価できる血液由来バイオマーカーの開発が実現できる可能性が大きく高まった。また、膜の質的変化に着目したプロテオミクス解析によって加齢性変化を示す様々な膜蛋白質の同定に成功したことから、生体膜そのもののオミックス解析＝メンブレノミクスという新たな生化学的解析手法の有効性が示された。さらに、本研究によって同定された血漿由来細胞外微小胞の膜蛋白質をターゲットとすることで、老化に伴う認知機能や生殖機能の低下を評価するための新たな検索性の開発も期待できる。