Methanism of metabolic regulation and aging in mammalian eggs

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26860184
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General medical chemistry
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Kawamura Yumiko 東京大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 研究員 (70599779)
• Research Collaborator: KURIHARA Hiroki 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授 (20221947) ; WADA Yoichiro 東京大学, アイソトープセンター, 教授 (10322033) ; KURIHARA Yukiko 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 講師 (80345040) ; UCHIJIMA Yasunobu 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 助手 (90272426) ; OSATO Naoki 東京大学, 先端科学技術研究センター, 研究員 (50509536)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: Mitochondria / Sirtuin / Aging

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this project, we aimed to unveil the relation between the alteration in metabolism and gene expression and the deterioration of oocyte quality with increasing maternal age. For this purpose, we focused on Sirt3, which regulates mitochondrial functions in mouse early embryos. We used Sirt3 knockout, Sirt3 overexpression and wild type mice of varying age and compared the aging related phenotypes in oocytes and zygotes. During the study period, although we could not reveal the metabolic and transcriptional alterations by originally intended methods because of the limitation of sample number, nonetheless we found that mitochondrial functions declined with aging but excessive Sirt3 could compensate the decline and keep the oocyte quality with high developmental competency even after getting older. We revealed also a part of Sirt3 expression regulation mechanisms. These results would help us understand oocyte physiology and contribute to improving reproductive technology.

Free Research Field

Reproductive biology