Shinichi Takayama, M.D., Ph.D.
Principal Scientist
Email: takayama at bbri.org

Research Summary
We are investigating the biological function of molecular chaperone regulators, BAG family proteins. BAG family proteins interact to 70Kd family of molecular chaperones (Hsp70) and regulate their protein folding activity. Molecular chaperones and their regulators (co-chaperones) maintain cellular homeostasis against environmental stress. Recently, we generated bag3 gene deletion mice, which showed early lethality with massive muscle degeneration. BAG3 over-expression has been observed in human cancers and regulates cell motility in vitro and in vivo. One of our major goals is to find the mechanisms of how BAG3 regulates muscle integrity and cell motility.

Selected Publications
Iwasaki, M., Homma, S., Dolezal, S., Hishiya, A., Reed, J. C. & Takayama, S. (2007). BAG3 regulates motility and adhesion of epithelial cancer cells. Cancer Res 67, 10252-9.

Homma, S., Iwasaki, M., Shelton, G. D., Engvall, E., Reed, J. C. & Takayama, S. (2006). BAG3 deficiency results in fulminant myopathy and early lethality. Am J Pathol 169, 761-73.

Hishiya, A., Iemura, S., Natsume, T., Takayama, S., Ikeda, K. & Watanabe, K. (2006). A novel ubiquitin-binding protein ZNF216 functioning in muscle atrophy. Embo J 25, 554-64.

Götz, R., Wiese, S., Takayama, S., Camarero, G. C., Rossoll, W., Schweizer, U., Troppmair, J., Jablonka, S., Holtmann, B., Reed, J. C., Rapp, U. R. & Sendtner, M. (2005). Bag1 is essential for differentiation and survival of hematopoietic and neuronal cells. Nat Neurosci 8, 1169-78.

Takayama, S., Reed JC. (2001) Molecular chaperone targeting and regulation by BAG family proteins. Nat Cell Biol 3(10):E237-41.

Takayama, S., Bimston, D. N., Matsuzawa, S., Freeman, B. C., Aime-Sempe, C., Xie, Z., Morimoto, R. I. & Reed, J. C. (1997). BAG-1 modulates the chaperone activity of Hsp70/Hsc70. Embo J 16, 4887-96.

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