Development of therapy methodology for neuronal regeneration using neural circuit formation factor LOTUS

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26290024
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurochemistry/Neuropharmacology
• Research Institution: Yokohama City University
• Principal Investigator: TAKEI Kohtaro 横浜市立大学, 生命医科学研究科, 教授 (40202163)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): NOGI Terukazu 横浜市立大学, 生命医科学研究科, 准教授 (40379102)
• Research Collaborator: KURIHARA Yuji
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 神経再生 / LOTUS / Nogo受容体 / 再生医療技術 / 脊髄損傷 / アンタゴニスト

Outline of Final Research Achievements

After spinal cord injury (SCI), primates hardly recover the locomotor function, and the basic therapy has not been established. However, rodents, such as mice and rats, show a partial spontaneous recovery of the locomotor function. It has been considered that limitation of neuronal regeneration is mainly caused by axon growth inhibitors and a common receptor of these ligands, Nogo receptor-1 (NgR1). We found LOTUS suppressed axonal growth inhibition induced by interaction between these NgR1 ligands and NgR1. First, we found that lotus-deficient mice showed delayed locomotor functional recovery of behavioral outcome, whereas functional recovery in was found in LOTUS-Tg mice overexpressing LOTUS in neurons. These findings suggest that LOTUS may contribute to promotion of functional recovery after SCI.

Free Research Field

神経科学