Elucidation of pancreatic beta cell differentiation and maturation mechanism by monoamines

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26461036
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Gastroenterology
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Sakano Daisuke 東京工業大学, 生命理工学院, 助教 (40571039)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: インスリン / β細胞 / 分化 / 脱分化 / モノアミン / ドーパミン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We screened compounds that promote cell proliferation of mouse pancreatic β cells using 3,000 low molecular weight compounds. As a result, Domperidon (DPD) which is an antagonist of dopamine D2 receptor (Drd2) was identified. And it was also revealed that DPD has a strong dedifferentiation suppressing effect and cell death suppressing effect in addition to an increase of self-replicating ability of β cell.
Furthermore, the formation of a heterodimer between Drd 2 and the adenosine A 2a receptoris important to control cell differentiation, dedifferentiation, cell division and cell death (Sakano et al., Stem Cell R eports, 2015).

Free Research Field

発生学、細胞生物学、分子生物学