Anti-Alzheimer's disease effect by inhibition of prion protein which is an Ab receptor by RNA

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K21477
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 47:Pharmaceutical sciences and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Katahira Masato 京都大学, エネルギー理工学研究所, 教授 (70211844)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: アルツハイマー病 / プリオン蛋白質 / アミロイドβ / RNAアプタマー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It was reported that prion protein (PrP) functions as a receptor of oligomerized amyloid b protein (Ab), which is related to Alzheimers’s disease, and transmits a pathological signal into cells. We attempted to mask PrP by an RMA aptamer toward PrP and thus block the transmission of the pathological signal. Collaborative study with Professors Mori and Nakao, Kyoto University, implied that the RNA aptamer could repress the transmission of the signal.

Free Research Field

生物物理化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

アミロイドβ(Aβ)蛋白質の病因性シグナルが、細胞表面の受容体であるプリオンタンパク質を介して細胞内に伝達される事を、プリオンタンパク質に対するRNAアプタマーによって遮断できる事が示唆されたことは、アルツハイマー病の治療に向けた新たな基盤となる可能性を有する新知見であり、学術的及び社会的に意義がある。