Identification and characterization of cellular senescence-specific genes

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25640063
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Tumor biology
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Kamada Shinji 神戸大学, バイオシグナル総合研究センター, 教授 (20243214)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KIKKAWA Ushio 神戸大学, バイオシグナル総合研究センター, 教授 (40150354) ; NAKASHIMA Akio 神戸大学, バイオシグナル総合研究センター, 准教授 (70397818)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞老化 / DNA損傷 / p53 / 活性酸素 / アミノ酸代謝

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To understand the molecular mechanisms of cellular senescence when DNA damages occurred, we identified and characterized several genes that are crucial for senescence. By using a developed experimental system in which cellular senescence or apoptosis is induced preferentially by altering the concentration of etoposide, a DNA-damaging drug to induce DNA double-strand brakes, we compared gene expression profiles of senescent and apoptotic cells by microarray analysis and identified several genes specifically upregulated in senescent cells. Among these genes, we focused on proline dehydrogenase and D-amino acid oxidase. It was clarified that both genes played crucial roles in senescence by producing reactive oxygen species as byproducts in amino acid metabolism.

Free Research Field

分子生物学　細胞生物学