Regulatory mechanism of dendritic spine morphology by microRNA

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24659093
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General anatomy (including Histology/Embryology)
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science
• Principal Investigator: YAMAGATA Kanato 公益財団法人東京都医学総合研究所, 脳発達・神経再生研究分野, プロジェクトリーダー (20263262)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TANAKA Hidekazu 立命館大学, 生命科学部, 教授 (70273638)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): SUGIURA Hiroko 公益財団法人東京都医学総合研究所, 脳発達・神経再生研究分野, 主席基盤技術研究職員 (40162870) ; YASUDA Shin 公益財団法人東京都医学総合研究所, 脳発達・神経再生研究分野, 研究員 (20392368)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: マイクロRNA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Various microRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified in the mammalian brain. However, there is few literature concerning how miRNA regulates dendritic spine morphology. Therefore, I tried to identify and investigate miRNA that binds to arc mRNA, which is induced by neuronal activity and localizes to dendritic spines. Overexpression of this miRNA caused thin spines in primary neurons probably by reducing arc protein levels. We next identified a ubiquitin ligase as one of arc-binding proteins. Reduction of this ubiquitin ligase also caused thin spines in neurons. Knockout of this ligase resulted in distinct post-translational modification of arc protein. These results suggest that decrement or different modification of arc protein may change dendritic spine morphology.

Free Research Field

神経科学