The pathologic clarification of ALS and its application to new therapeutic strategy by using Drosophila model.

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26893227
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Neurology
• Research Institution: Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Azuma Yumiko 京都府立医科大学, 医学部附属病院, 専攻医 (00453093)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-08-29 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 遺伝学 / 遺伝子 / 神経科学 / 脳神経疾患 / ショウジョウバエ / 神経変性疾患 / 筋萎縮性側索硬化症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by degeneration of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. The molecular mechanisms of ALS have not been clarified. To investigate the mechanisms of ALS-induced neuronal dysfunction in vivo, we employed Drosophila TDP43- or Drosophila FUS- knockdown ALS models for suitable genetic-screening. As a result, we successfully identified new some genes that are involved in both ALS model flies.
And, mutation in EGFR pathway-related genes rescued the Drosophila FUS-knockdown induced rough-eye phenotype; fusion of cone cells and ommatidia. Our findings suggest that Drosophila FUS negatively regulates the EGFR signaling pathway.

Free Research Field

分子生物学・遺伝学・神経内科学