Impairment of autophagy and metabolic reprogramming
Masaaki Komatsu Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Biochemistry
School of Medicine Niigata University,
757, Ichibancho, Asahimachidori, Chuo-ku, Niigata-shi, 951-8510
Biography:
After PhD training in biochemistry at Juntendo University School of Medicine and Postdoc work in mouse genetic study of autophagy at Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science (Prof. Keiji Tanaka), Dr. Komatsu became a principal investigator at Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science. 2014, he became a full professor of Biochemistry, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences. Dr. Komatsu is a pioneer in autophagy research with mouse genetics. He promotes research focusing on high-order functions of autophagy as well as its dysregulation and disease outbreak, using genetically modified mice.
Abstract:
Autophagy provides starved cells with amino acids, fatty acids, and glucose for new protein synthesis energy production; autophagy also controls the quality and quantity of organelles such as mitochondria. Therefore, it is plausible that autophagy might be integrated with metabolic pathways. Indeed, suppression of autophagy causes myopathy, tumorigenesis, and metabolic disorders in mice and humans. However, the metabolic changes associated with loss of autophagy are largely unknown. Furthermore, it remains unclear whether the major predisposing factor for the aforementioned diseases in the absence of normal autophagic activity is a simple deficit in supply of molecular building blocks, impairment of mitochondrial homeostasis, or some other cause. Here, we show that lack of autophagy is associated with rearrangement of glucose and glutamine metabolisms via the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway.
Time: Sep. 1st, 2017, 16:00-17:00
Venue: New Biology Building, Room 143
Host: Prof. Li Yu
举办单位：生命科学联合中心
