Identification of a Vesicle specific D-serine transporter in the brain.

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26670123
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General pharmacology
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: YOSHIKATSU Kanai 大阪大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (60204533)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): OHGAKI Ryuichi 大阪大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 助教 (20467525) ; OKUDA Suguru 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 助教 (50511846) ; NAGAMORI Shushi 大阪大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 准教授 (90467572)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 受容体 / チャネル / 輸送系 / シグナル情報伝達系

Free Research Field

神経薬理学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

D-serine is an endogenous D-amino acid abundant in the mammalian brain. The main target of D-serine is the NMDA receptor, which has important roles in learning, memory and neurodegenerative diseases. However, how D-serine is regulated in the brain still remains to be clarified. Here we have revealed that y+Asc-1 is a neuron specific D-serine transporter and involved in the neuron-derived D-serine release in the brain. Our findings would provide a new insight into the neural D-serine study and contribute to the understanding of D-serine function in the brain.