MF Researcher Database

Researchers Database

Advance

Okada　Shinji

    Department of Food Life Sciences　Professor
    Research Institute of Industrial Technology　Researcher
Last Updated :2025/04/19

Researcher Information

Degree

  • Ph.D.（2004/03 The University of Tokyo）

J-Global ID

Research Areas

  • Life sciences / Food sciences
  • Life sciences / Nutrition and health science

Published Papers

Books etc

MISC

Industrial Property Rights

Awards & Honors

  • 2013/03 農芸化学奨励賞
     
    受賞者: 岡田 晋治
  • 2012/03 日本農芸化学会2012年度大会トピックス賞
     
    受賞者: 岡田 晋治
  • 2009/11 2009年度ネスレ栄養科学会議論文賞
     
    受賞者: 岡田 晋治

Research Grants & Projects

  • 日本学術振興会：科学研究費助成事業
    Date (from‐to) : 2022/04 -2026/03 
    Author : 中井 雄治; 西塚 誠; 岡田 晋治; 永長 一茂
  • 日本学術振興会：科学研究費助成事業
    Date (from‐to) : 2021/04 -2025/03 
    Author : 小林 彰子; 杉浦 悠毅; 岡田 晋治
  • 日本学術振興会：科学研究費助成事業
    Date (from‐to) : 2021/04 -2025/03 
    Author : 小林 彰子; 杉浦 悠毅; 岡田 晋治
  • 日本学術振興会：科学研究費助成事業
    Date (from‐to) : 2021/04 -2024/03 
    Author : 岡田 晋治; 井上 亮
     
    成長期における朝食欠食が近年問題視されており、心身の発達に悪影響を与えることが危惧されている。朝食摂食頻度と学力の相関が知られる一方、成長期の朝食欠食が脳機能へ与える影響は明確に示されていない。そこで本研究では活動期、つまり暗期の前半6時間欠食を朝食欠食として定義し、成長期マウスを用いて慢性的な朝食欠食の脳機能への影響について評価を行った。5週齢のC57BL/6マウスを用い、前述の条件下で3週間飼育したマウスを朝食欠食群とした。対照群として、自由摂食群と暗期後半6時間欠食させた夕食欠食群を置いた。朝食欠食による記憶機能への影響を調査するため、各種行動試験を行った。海馬の関与が知られるY字迷路試験や短期位置認識試験では、朝食欠食群において記憶能力の低下がみられた一方、嗅周皮質の関与が知られる短期新奇物体認識試験では、各群の記憶能力に差は見られなかった。つまり、慢性的な朝食欠食が海馬依存的な記憶能力の低下を引き起こすことが示唆された。そこで、その作用機序を明らかにするため、海馬についてRNAシーケンスによる網羅的遺伝子解析を行った。抽出された発現変動遺伝子についてGene Ontology解析を行った結果、自由摂食群と朝食欠食群の比較では細胞増殖、細胞死に関連するタームが抽出された。以上より記憶能力の低下は、海馬における細胞代謝の異常によることが示唆された。今後は海馬神経細胞数やそのアポトーシス率などについて解析を進める予定である。
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
    Date (from‐to) : 2019/04 -2022/03 
    Author : Nakai Yuji
     
    In order to elucidate the mechanism by which high-phosphorus stimulation affects lipid metabolism in the organism, we analyzed changes in gene expression of rat liver after an 8-hour administration of a high-phosphorus diet by using DNA microarray. The results showed that lipid metabolism-related genes, including FGF21, were significantly upregulated in the high-phosphorus diet group. The FGF21 protein in the serum of the rats was measured by ELISA and showed significantly higher levels in the high-phosphorus diet group. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in PTH, which responds early to elevated blood phosphate levels. These results suggest that changes in the expression of genes related to lipid metabolism in the liver are caused by direct sensing of high phosphorus stimulation, rather than indirect effects by PTH.
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
    Date (from‐to) : 2018/04 -2021/03 
    Author : Okada Shinji
     
    In this study, we have succeeded in obtaining a transcriptional regulatory region that can induce expression in medaka sour taste cells. By using this region, it is expected that the introduction of foreign genes into sour taste cells will be possible in other model fishes such as zebrafish. In addition, the trans-synaptic tracer has revealed the correlation between the conduction pathways of taste information in several species. The obtained findings are complementary to the findings of gustatory conduction pathways that have been shown in other model organisms, and will greatly contribute to the full understanding of gustatory conduction pathways. In addition to the knowledge accumulated through the examination of the conditions in this study, we expect to achieve our goal of observing the response to gustatory stimuli by utilizing tools with greatly improved fluorescence intensity and examining methods to induce the expression of these tools.
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
    Date (from‐to) : 2016/04 -2019/03 
    Author : SHIMADA KOUSUKE; YASUOKA AKIHITO; KAMEI ASUKA; SHINOZAKI FUMIKA; OKADA SHINJI; KONDOH TAKASHI
     
    This study was aimed at revealing the influence of brain behavior function, gene expression of brain and peripheral tissues on stress load which are evoked by isolation condition. Additionally, we tried to investigate searching of functional food ingredients which prevents isolation stress. Using short-term single housing mice, we revealed that the isolation stress influenced brain function with a gene expression change in brain region as compared with group housing mice. Subsequently, we tried administration of functional food ingredients that effective effects are expected for a brain function. As a result, we found functional food ingredients which mitigate a brain function behavior which changed by the isolation single housing condition. Thus we suggested a possibility that functional food ingredients mitigate brain function which changed by stress load.
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
    Date (from‐to) : 2015/04 -2018/03 
    Author : Okada Shinji
     
    To elucidate the molecular mechanisms in taste reception, we have tried to build its assay system based on in vivo Ca2+-imaging technique. Two lines of transgenic animals expressing Ca2+-indicator proteins in their taste bud cells were successfully established. Slight but significant changes of fluorescence in their taste bud cells were observed after the stimulation of taste solution. Further improvement of this assay system would enable the evaluation of taste of foods with highly complicated composition and contribute to both the basic research of taste reception and the food product development.
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
    Date (from‐to) : 2015/04 -2018/03 
    Author : Yasuoka Akihito; KONDHO Takashi; OKADA Shinji
     
    There are emerging evidences for epigenetic inheritance of metabolic stresses in the parental generation to the offsprings. Part of these stresses can be ameliorated by dietary polyphenols. We have found that co-administration of trans-resveratrol (RSV) could reduce alcoholic fatty liver in male mice. We then crossed these males with normal females and found that serum triacylglycerol level was higher in the offsprings of ethanol treated (E) males than in those of control (C) males, while it was unchanged in those of ethanol + RSV treated (ER) males. The offsprings' liver exhibited transcriptomic segregation between C- and E-groups but not between C- and ER-groups. Then we analyzed genome-wide cytosine methylation in the fathers' sperm and in the offsprings' liver. There were significant differences in methylated cytosine distribution among C-, E- and ER- groups. It is possible that these epigenetic modifications can be transduced to the next generation to cause metabolic phenotypes.
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
    Date (from‐to) : 2014/04 -2017/03 
    Author : Okada Shinji
     
    The coding mechanisms including neural pathways that transduce the taste senses information remain unknown. To elucidate these matters, we have developed novel trans-synaptic tracer transgenes that enable the visualization of neural circuits originating from two distinct cell populations simultaneously. The correlation among the neural circuits originate from four populations of taste receptor cells were revealed by the developed visualization technique in this study.
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
    Date (from‐to) : 2012/04 -2014/03 
    Author : OKADA Shinji
     
    Internal physiological status such as eating and nutritional status influences taste sensation. It has revealed about this phenomenon that several hormones and small molecules affect the peripheral taste receptor cells directly and modify the sensitivity to tastants. However, many parts of this mechanism remain unknown. Behavioral physiological analyses suggested the differences in taste sensitivity to one tastant between eating and non-eating animals in this study. This study also suggested the differences in gene expression profile of taste bud cells between two eating status. These results suggested that the mechanisms which modify the taste sensitivity by changing the gene expression exist in the peripheral taste receptor cells.
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
    Date (from‐to) : 2011/04 -2014/03 
    Author : OKADA Shinji
     
    It has been revealed that gustatory informations for five taste modalities are mediated by distinct taste bud cell populations in peripheral. However, it remains unknown that the coding mechanisms including neural pathways transducing such informations and information processing in the central nervous system. To elucidate these matters, novel trans-synaptic tracer transgenes were developed in this study. These developed tracer transgenes enabled the visualization of neural circuits originating from two distinct cell populations and the analysis on the correlation between these circuits. The correlation between the neural circuits originate from two populations of taste receptor cells were revealed in this study.
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
    Date (from‐to) : 2011/04 -2014/03 
    Author : ABE Keiko; AIZAWA Hiroyuki; ISHIMARU Yoshiro; OKADA Shinji
     
    Outline of the research: For the integrated analysis of taste systems, (1) we found the target genes AnoI, Kene3, Sec61a1 that are involved in construction of electric potential of saltiness reception (type I) cell membrane; (2) PLC-beta2-WGA medaka fish analysis led to comprehensive elucidation of the taste transmission pathway from bitterness/amino acid receiving cells to the endbrain and the visualization of saltiness-receiving cell to the NST taste area in PKD1L3-WGA mice was successive; and (3) integrated expression markers in weaning mice, SNAP25, EGr-2 and Krox-20, were distinctly activated its signal in the taste area when the mice were given a solid food at the stage of weaning in comparison with the case that they were still given a liquid food. (4) we also showed that there is a relationship between the tastant quality in diet and the food intake.
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
    Date (from‐to) : 2008 -2010 
    Author : ABE Keiko; OKADA Shinji
     
    Using mice with a WGA tracer introduced, we analyzed the genes expressions in taste cells, taste neurons and cerebral cells by transcriptome, and revealed the molecular properties of geniculate ganglion (GG), petrosal ganglion (PG), and nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) WGA-positive neurons transmitting from sweet/umami taste- and bitter taste-receiving cells. We also constructed transgenic medaka fish whose amino acid-receiving (T1Rs-positive) and bitter taste-receiving (T2Rs-positve) cells were made to have the WGA, and succeeded in visualizing their taste-transmitting pathways.
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
    Date (from‐to) : 2008 -2009 
    Author : OKADA Shinji
     
    The phenotypes of Aquaporin-11 knockout mice were analyzed by histological methods. Cysts formation was observed in the kidney, but no apparent changes were observed in the stomach, small intestine, liver and spleen of the knockout mice. About 20% of the genes expressing in the kidney were changed in their expression in the knockout mice. By the profiling of the expression changes, the mechanisms of the formation of cysts in the kidney of Aquaporin-11 knockout mice were revealed.
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
    Date (from‐to) : 2007 -2009 
    Author : ASAKURA Tomiko; MINAMI Michiko; FUNAKI Junko; OKADA Shinji
     
    Neoculin and miraculin are taste modifying proteins which convert sourness to sweetness. They are occurring in tropical fruits, Curculigo latiforia and Synsepalum dulcificum, respectively. Each native protein is difficult to obtain constantly. We succeeded to produce recombinant neoculin and miraculin with Aspergillus oryzae that was designated to GRAS. To verify the safety of neoculin, viability of Caco-2 cells exposed to neoculin was investigated. The viability of cells was not changed with neoculin exposure. DNA microarray analysis also revealed that neoculin did not affect the gene expression of Caco-2 cells. Neoculin is received by human sweet taste receptor, T1R2-T1R3. The interaction sites of neoculin to T1R2-T1R3 were analyzed using HEK293T cells that express T1R2-T1R3. As a result, neoculin was received at the N-terminal extra cellar domain in T1R3.
  • 日本学術振興会：科学研究費助成事業
    Date (from‐to) : 2005 -2006 
    Author : 岡田 晋治
     
    小腸には複数種のアクアポリン(AQP)が発現することが知られているが、発現の網羅的解析はなされていない。また、小腸を構成する各細胞種が発現するAQPのレパートリーも明らかにはなっていない。小腸におけるAQPの生理機能を明らかにするためには、まず、これらの解析を行うことが必要である。そこで、マウス小腸に発現するAQPの網羅的な解析と、各AQPの発現様式を詳細に明らかにすることを試みた。 その結果、十二指腸が8種、空腸および回腸が7種のAQPサブタイプを発現していることが明らかとなった。また、空腸および回腸は同種のAQPサブタイプを発現していること、および、十二指腸はそれらのサブタイプに加え、AQP5を発現していることが示された。 In situハイブリダイゼーションによって、3部位での各AQPの発現様式を解析したところ、その発現は粘膜上皮の細胞にほぼ特異的であった。各AQPはそれぞれ異なる発現様式を示した。十二指腸特異的なAQP5は十二指腸腺に発現していた。小腸粘膜上皮を構成する各細胞種において発現するAQPの組み合わせを同定するため、各細胞種のマーカー遺伝子と各AQPとの二重in situハイブリダイゼーションを行ったところ、吸収上皮細胞にはAQP1およびAQP3が、杯細胞にはAQP3およびAQP9が、バネート細胞にはAQP1,AQP3およびAQP4が発現していた。これらの細胞においては、細胞内局在の異なるAQPが協奏的に働き、特異的な細胞機能に関与していると考えられる。

Other link

researchmap