Explore a novel mechanism for neurodegenerative disease using Caspr deficient mutant mice

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23591241
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurology
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: TAKAGISHI Yoshiko 名古屋大学, 環境医学研究所, 助教 (50024659)
• Research Collaborator: KATANOSAKA Kimiaki 中部大学, 生命健康科学部・生命医科学科, 准教授 ; MIZOGUCHI Hiroyuki 名古屋大学, 環境医学研究所・次世代創薬研究センター, 助教
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 神経変性疾患 / ランビエ絞輪 / パラノード / 遺伝性疾患マウス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We identified a mutation of the Caspr gene in a mouse mutant shambling (shm). We analyzed dysfunction of the paranode at nodes of Ranvier and impaired nerve conduction in myelinated nerves of shm mice. The shm mice manifest the progressive neurological defect as mice age. We studied a pathophysiological process of the disease in the nervous system of shm mice and found that axons and neurons were severely damaged and resultant loss of neurons occurred in various regions of the nervous system in aged mice but not in young or adult mice. This study is a first demonstration of neuron death in the nervous system among the paranodal mutants. Further in this study we identified various parallelisms between shm mice and human neurodegenerative disease. We would like to propose that our study provides a novel prospect in a study to explore a mechanism of human neurodegenerative disease.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学・内科系臨床医学・神経内科学