The study of neuroprotection and the mitochondrial protein UCP4 induced by electrical stimulation of the brain

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23390345
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurosurgery
• Research Institution: Hamamatsu University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: YAMAMOTO Seiji 浜松医科大学, メディカルフォトニクス研究センター, 教授 (60144094)
• Research Collaborator: FUKUSHI Yasuko 浜松医科大学, メディカルフォトニクス研究センター, 特任研究員 (50722683) ; GOLANOV Eugene V Houston Methodist Hospital and Research Institute, Dept of Neurosurgery, USA
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 脳血管障害 / 虚血耐性 / 脳電気刺激 / ミトコンドリア蛋白

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We studied the neuroprotective mechanisms and the role of brain specific mitochondrial protein, uncoupling protein 4 (UCP4), induced by the electrical stimulation of cerebellar fastigial nucleus (FN) in rats. Preconditioning with FN stimulation decreased the infarct volume, and increased UCP4 mRNA level. The effect of FN stimulation was inhibited by kATP-channel opening blocker. Diazoxide, kATP-channel opener, increased fluorescence intensity of combination of UCP4-promoter and TOMATO (red fluorescent protein), indicating the up-regulation of UCP-4, as compared with that in the control brain. The up-regulation was inhibited by superoxide dismutase. Our results suggest that FN stimulation opens a mitochondrial kATP-channel, up-regulates UCP4 in the brain through the production of superoxide, stabilizes mitochondrial function against ischemia and thereby induces neuroprotection.

Free Research Field

脳神経外科学