Analyses on the mechanisms underlying the perturbation of regulatory machinery of intrinsic cellular properties of neural progenitors by the suppressed level of maternally-derived taurine

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26461629
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Embryonic/Neonatal medicine
• Research Institution: University of Fukui
• Principal Investigator: Tochitani Shiro 福井大学, 子どものこころの発達研究センター, 特命助教 (90418591)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: タウリン / 神経発生 / 神経前駆細胞 / 層特異的神経細胞 / 胎盤 / 母体由来栄養 / 神経発達障害 / GABAA受容体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Mammalian fetuses including humans have little ability to synthesize taurine. Therefore, fetuses are dependent on the taurine delivered via the placenta from their mothers. In this study, we examined whether fetal exposure to low taurine condition during pregnancy influences the brain development of offspring especially regarding the regulation of properties of neural progenitors, which differentiate into neurons. The results showed that the exposure to low taurine condition induced the delay in the onset of the differentiation of neural progenitors into neurons and the alterations in the cellular types of neurons that neural progenitors produce. The inhibition of the receptors of taurine in fetal brain during specific periods of brain development induced a considerable alteration in offspring behavior. These results suggest that the maternal low taurine condition during pregnancy hampers the healthy development of the fetal brain.

Free Research Field

神経科学