Researchers
Koji Aoki – The roles of intestine-specific homeoprotein CDX2 in the intestinal epithelial barrier and the molecular bases of autophagy regulation by CDX2
Researcher
- Koji Aoki
- Professor, Faculty of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Fukui
Research Theme
The roles of intestine-specific homeoprotein CDX2 in the intestinal epithelial barrier and the molecular bases of autophagy regulation by CDX2
The intestinal epithelial cells serve as a barrier against bacterial pathogens. Autophagy in the intestinal epithelial cells plays key roles in the intestinal mucosal immunity, while suppression of autophagy in the cells accelerates the chronic intestinal inflammation. Recently, I found that intestine-specific homeoprotein CDX2 stimulated autophagy probably through interaction with ATG7, an E1-like enzyme essential for autophagosome formation. In this study, I will elucidate the regulation mechanisms of ATG7 by CDX2 and the roles of CDX2 and ATG7 in the intestinal mucosal immunity. The final goal of this study is to identify therapeutic targets to treat the chronic intestinal inflammation.
