Investigation on synucleinopathy and epigenetic mechanisms in the brains of methamphetamine abusers

2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23590861
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Legal medicine
• Research Institution: Kanazawa Medical University
• Principal Investigator: OH RO 金沢医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (60555051)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KITAMURA Osamu 金沢医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (70266609)
• Project Period (FY): 2011 – 2013
• Keywords: 覚醒剤 / 神経細胞障害 / 酸化ストレス / 薬物依存 / エピジェネティックス / グリオーシス

Research Abstract

This study suggests that, in addition to dopaminergic terminal marker deficits and glial reactions, synucleinopathy is induced by methamphetamine neurotoxicity including oxidative stress in the brains of methamphetamine abusers. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that brain-derived neurotorophic factor (BDNF) and methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2), a transcription factor of BDNF, that is involved in epigenetics, are found in methamphetamine abusers. In the point of view of forensic pathology, detection of synucleinopathy and epigenetic mechanisms involving MeCP2 and BDNF expression could be useful to investigate the mechanisms involved in neurotoxicity and drug dependence of human methamphetamine abusers.