Re-evaluation of DISC1 using knockout mice and new antibodies

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25830051
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurochemistry/Neuropharmacology
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: KURODA Keisuke 名古屋大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 特任助教 (80631431)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: DISC1 / 統合失調症 / モデルマウス / ノックアウトマウス / 抗体 / オフターゲット / プロテオミクス解析 / シナプス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Disrupted-In-Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) is a promising candidate gene for susceptibility to psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. We previously generated a DISC1 knockout (KO) mouse and developed DISC1 antibodies. We found that no available antibodies to DISC1 without us recognized the endogenous DISC1. The DISC1 KO mouse displays no gross abnormalities, but it does show altered synaptic plasticity and abnormal emotional behaviors. So that we re-evaluate DISC1 using KO mice and new antibodies and investigate true function of DISC1 in synapse.
We found that cell migration defect coused by DISC1 knockdown is an off-target effect of shRNA. This result suggests that DISC1 studies using DISC1 shRNAs should be interpreted with caution.
We used proteomic analysis to screen for DISC1 interactors and identified several RNA-binding proteins. We found that DISC1 binds ITPR1 mRNA with HZF, thereby regulating its dendritic transport for synaptic plasticity.

Free Research Field

神経化学