2025.02.05
Cholesterol ensures ciliary polycystin-2 localization to prevent polycystic kidney disease
A research group from Yamaguchi University, Hiroshima University, and Shimane University has discovered that cholesterol plays a crucial role in the function of primary cilia, which act as cellular sensors.
The research revealed that cholesterol enables this sensor function by trapping the polycystin protein, which detects the flow of extracellular fluid, within the cell membrane covering primary cilia. Using genome editing technology, the study demonstrated for the first time that cholesterol deficiency affects this function, leading to the onset of “cilia disorders” such as polycystic kidney disease.
These findings suggest that supplying cholesterol to primary cilia could represent a novel therapeutic approach for ciliopathies. Furthermore, since primary cilia are also implicated in cancer and psychiatric/neurological disorders, this discovery is expected to advance innovative drug discovery research for these intractable diseases.
- Division of Advanced Genome Editing Therapy
- Takeshi Itabashi （Molecular and Cellular Physiology）
- Moe Hirosawa （Molecular and Cellular Physiology）
- Tatsuo Miyamoto （Molecular and Cellular Physiology）
- Paper Title：Cholesterol ensures ciliary polycystin-2 localization to prevent polycystic kidney disease
- Author：Takeshi Itabashi, Kosuke Hosoba, Tomoka Morita, Sotai Kimura, Kenji Yamaoka, Moe Hirosawa, Daigo Kobayashi, Hiroko Kishi, Kodai Kume, Hiroshi Itoh, Hideshi Kawakami, Kouichi Hashimoto, Takashi Yamamoto, Tatsuo Miyamoto
- Publication：Life Science Alliance
- Posted on: February 3, 2025
- DOI：https://doi.org/10.26508/lsa.202403063
＜Research-Related Inquiries＞
Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Yamaguchi University Division of Advanced Genome Editing Therapy, The Research Institute for Cell Design and Medical Science, Yamaguchi University
Tatsuo Miyamoto
Phone: 0836-22-2209
E-mail: t-miyamoto@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp
＜Public Relations＞
Yamaguchi University The Research Institute for Cell Design and Medical Science (Life Science Support Section, Academic Research Division)
Tel: 0836-85-3065
E-mail: sh088@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp