Sachiko Homma, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Skeletal muscle, apoptosis, degeneration, regeneration, sarcopenia
Email: homma at bbri.org

Research Summary
We are investigating the molecular mechanism of sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass with aging and one of the most severe problems in geriatric medicine. Recently, it has been suggested that several muscle atrophy specific protein degradation pathways were activated in sarcopenia. Additionally, activation of apoptosis (cell-death)-related proteases has been observed in sarcopenia. Therefore, using mouse models with gene deletions and over expression of apoptosis-related genes, I will be investigating the role of apoptosis signaling pathways to understand the cellular and physiological processes  that lead to sarcopenia. This research could give us clues to develop medical treatment or prevention of sarcopenia.

Selected Publications
Iwasaki M*, Homma S*, Hishiya A, Reed JC, and Takayama S. BAG3 regulates motility and adhesion of epithelial cells. Cancer Res. 2007;67(21):10252-9.

Homma S*, Jin X*, Wang G*, Tu N*, Min J, Yanasak N, Mivechi NF. Demyelination, astrogliosis, and accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins, hallmarks of CNS disease in hsf1-deficient mice. J Neurosci. 2007;27(30):7974-86.

Homma S, Iwasaki M, Shelton GD, Engvall E, Reed JC, Takayama S. BAG3 deficiency results in fulminant myopathy and early lethality. Am J Pathol. 2006;169(3):761-73.

Shelton GD, Sammut V, Homma S, Takayama S, Mizisin AP. Myofibrillar myopathy with desmin accumulation in a young Australian Shepherd dog. Neuromuscul Disord. 2004;14(7):399-404.

Takayama S, Reed JC, Homma S. Heat-shock proteins as regulators of apoptosis. Oncogene. 2003;22(56):9041-7.

Briknarova K, Takayama S, Homma S, Baker K, Cabezas E, Hoyt DW, Li Z, Satterthwait AC, Ely KR. BAG4/SODD protein contains a short BAG domain. J Biol Chem. 2002;277(34):31172-8.

* these authors contributed equally to this work.

PubMed:
Click here for a list of publications (searches the National Library of Medicine's PubMed database.)