Akagi Kazutaka Assistant Professor
Akagi Kazutaka
AffiliationDivision of Presymptomatic Disease, Department of Research and Development
Research fieldsMolecular biology, aging biology
Campus careerPh.D.
Biography University of Toyama Faculty Research Profiles
Education
March, 2006 BS Depertment of biology, Faculty of science, Okayama University, Japan
March, 2008 MS Graduate school of natural science and technology, Okayama University, Japan
March, 2011 PhD Graduate school of natural science and technology, Okayama University, Japan
Job career
April, 2011 Postdoctoral fellow, Depertment of biology, Faculty of science, Okayama University, Japan
August, 2011 Postdoctoral fellow, Buck Institute for Research on Aging, CA, USA
May, 2016 Project leader, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Japan
May, 2021 Assistant professor, Reserch Center for Pre-disease Science, University of Toyama, Japan
November, 2023 Assistant professor, Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama, Japan
Research theme
Department
Division
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Project
Outline of the research
We aim for understanding how nutrients and metabolites influence tissue homeostasis and organismal survival in molecular level using fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Dietary restriction (DR) has been shown to extend lifespan in diverse organisms including mammals. However, tissue and sex-specific effects of DR on aging have not fully understood. We are mainly focusing on how DR impacts on fat metabolism and intestinal homeostasis including gut permeability, intestinal stem cell activity and inflammation which are known to be affected by age. We are also interested in understanding the molecular basis of the pre-disease state (Mebyo) and how different tissues or cells communicate each other upon different nutrient conditions, age and sex to control aging.
Research topics:
・ Identification of pre-disease genes on metabolic syndrome
・ Understanding the molecular mechanisms of fat metabolism upon different nutrients and sex
・ Understanding the role of glutamine metabolism on tissue homeostasis and aging
・ Understanding sexual dimorphism in intestinal homeostasis
・ Verification of the effects of the natural compounds on aging
Thoughts on research
People had never imagined that aging is genetically controlled untill early 90s', and now, it is concidered as curable disease. Recent advances in aging biology are based upon multiple contributions of the invertebrate model organisms such as yeast, worm and fruit fly. We are passionate about understanding how nutrients influence age and sex-related changes in specific tissues and disease processes including "Mebyo" using a fruit fly model!
Paper
Akagi K, Jin Y.J., Koizumi K., Oku M., Ito K., Shen X., Imura J., Aihara K., Saito S. Integration of Dynamical Network Biomarkers, Control Theory and Drosophila Model Identifies Vasa/DDX4 as the Potential Therapeutic Targets for Metabolic Syndrome.
Cells, 14(6): 415, 2025
Akagi K.*, Koizumi K., Kadowaki M., Kitajima I., and Saito S. New possibilities for evaluating the development of cellular senescence using the dynamical network biomarkers theory. Cells, 12(18): 2297, 2023 (*Corresponding author)
Sharma A.†*, Akagi K.†*, Pattavina B, Wilson K.A., Nelson C., Watson M., Maksoud E., Harata A., Ortega M., Brem R.B., Kapahi P.* Musashi expression in intestinal stem cells attenuates radiation-induced decline in intestinal permeability and survival in Drosophila. Scientific Reports, 10:19080, 2020 (†Co-first author, *Co-corresponding author)
Akagi K.*, Wilson K.A., Katewa S.D., Ortega M., Simons J., Hilsabeck T.A., Kapuria S., Sharma A., Jasper H., Kapahi P.* Dietary restriction improves intestinal cellular fitness to enhance gut barrier function and lifespan in D. melanogaster. PLOS Genetics, 14(11): e1007777, 2018 (*Co-corresponding author)
Katewa S.D., Akagi K., Rakshit K., Bose N., Camarella T., Zheng X., Nelson C., Brem R., Sehgal A., Giebultowicz J.M., Kapahi P. Peripheral circadian clocks modulate nutrient dependent changes in lifespan and fat metabolism. Cell Metabolism, 12;23(1):143-154, 2016
keyword
Aging、Mebyo (pre-disease state)、Dietary restriction、Drosophila
