2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Functional analysis of N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 in astrocytes
| Project/Area Number |
23790219
|
|---|
| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
|
| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
|---|
| Research Field |
General anatomy (including Histology/Embryology)
|
|---|
| Research Institution | Kanazawa University |
|---|
Principal Investigator |
|
|---|
| Project Period (FY) |
2011-04-28 – 2013-03-31
|
| Keywords | アストロサイト / 脳損傷 / Ndrg2 |
|---|
| Research Abstract |
Astrocytes are known to respond to various brain injuries, however, the signaling events underlying reactive astrogliosis remain unclear. N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (Ndrg2) is a differentiation-associated molecule predominantly expressed in astrocytes in the central nervous system. In this study, we examined the expression and the role of Ndrg2 after cortical stab injury. The current study demonstrated that Ndrg2 is an injury-responsive gene that is involved in the early phase of astroglial activation and that it positively regulates reactive astrogliosis and the subsequent inflammatory response and neuronal death through the activation of IL-6/STAT3 signaling. Thus, Ndrg2 could be a new therapeutic target in various neurological conditions related to astroglial activation and inflammation.
|
