Mechanistic analysis and application of novel activation technique for regenerative medicine

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26830130
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Medical genome science
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: NAKAJIMA Yuka 筑波大学, 生命環境系, 助教 (40399499)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 転写 / DNAオリゴヌクレオチド

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Oligonucleotide technologies such as antisense and antigene are useful in down-regulating endogenous gene expression. However, oligonucleotides mediated upregulation of endogenous gene expression has not been developed. Recently we developed a technique using DNA oligonucleotides to activate the expression of endogenous target genes, but the mechanisms and the application to regenerative medicine have not largely unclear.
In this study, we found that designing oligo DNA for open chromatin regions is required to activate target gene expression. We also demonstrate that oligo DNAs are able to induce mesenchymal cell differentiation and enhance the efficiency of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) colony formation. Our process allows the design of oligonucleotides as a tool for the transient activation of endogenous gene expression that may be useful for biological research and in clinical applications.

Free Research Field

転写制御