TRANSCRPTIONAL REGgiATlON AS A NEW DRUG ACTION SITE-NOVEL TRANSCRPTIONAL FACTORS INVOLVED IN NEURAL DIFFERENTIATION AND MEMORY

神经肽Y （NPY）是交感神经元的一种共递质，在中枢神经系统中大量表达。利用大鼠NPY基因，研究了药物诱导神经元特异性基因转录的调控机制，探索了药物调控的转录因子。之前我们已经确定了独特的增强元件，如神经生长因子（NGF）反应元件（NGFRE）和钙/钙调脂依赖性激酶反应元件（CaRE）。在研究这些因子时，我们发现了新的转录因子，如NDF1和Kheper。这些转录因子参与突触可塑性和神经分化。许多神经活性药物似乎影响这些转录因子的功能。在2001年，我们重点调查了以下内容：瘦素诱导NPY基因启动子2的反激活。斑马鱼NDF同源基因的克隆脑NPY亚型基因表达的变化

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a cotransmitter of sympathetic neurons and is expressed abundantly in the central nervous systm. By using the rat NPY gene, the drug-induced regulatory mechanism of transcription of the neuronspecific genes has been studied and the drug-regulated transcriptional factors have been explored. Previously we have identified the unique enhancer elements, such as nerve growth factor (NGF) response element (NGFRE) and calcium/calmodulirrdependent kinase response element (CaRE). When studying these elements, we identified novel transcriptional factors, such as NDF1 and Kheper.These transcriptional factors are involved in synaptic plasticity and neural differentiation. Many neuroactive drugs seem to affect the function of these transcriptional factors. In 2001, we investigated especially the following contents.1. Leptin-induced transactivation of NPY gene promoter2. Cloning of zebrafish NDF homolog3. Change in gene Expression of NPY subtype in brain