弘前大学 大学院医学研究科 / 医学部医学科

Staffs

• Professor : Ken Ito
• Lecturer : Junsei Mimura
• Assistant professor : Shuya Kasai, Yota Tatara

Research Aims

Organisms sometimes encounter hazardous environments to be overcome. Therefore, the organisms are equipped with elaborate stress response mechanisms. Our laboratory has been interested in oxidative stress response in human and other mammalians. Oxidative stress evokes various damages in tissues and cells, and is associated with many diseases such as neurodegenetrative diseases. NF-E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a key transcription factor in oxidative stress response in mammalian. Nrf2 prevent oxidative stress by inducing hundreds of genes through antioxidant responsive element (ARE) found in the regulatory region of the genes. Nrf2-regulated genes include antioxidant proteins such as heme oxygenase 1 and glutathione biosynthetic enzymes, and a battery of drug metabolizing enzymes to detoxify toxic electrophiles.
Nrf2 signaling pathway is also involved in many physiological processes, such as immunoresponse, iron and lipid metabolism. The aim of our research group is to elucidate precise mechanisms of Nrf2 action in the oxidative stress response and the stress-related diseases. We also aim to find novel roles of Nrf2 in immune response and metabolic regulation. Current our projects are listed below.

Current Research Topics

1. Role of amino acid starvation responsive factor GCN1L1 in the cytoprotection against oxidative stress
2. Role of Keap1/Nrf2 pathway in neurodegenerative diseases
3. Cross-talk analysis of Nrf2 stress response pathway with mitochondria
4. Cross-talk analysis of Nrf2 stress response pathway with eIF2? phosphorylation pathway
5. Global analysis of the molecules involved in the oxidative stress response
6. Role of Nrf2 in iron metabolism