{"title":"[Regulation of primary cilia targeting the interaction between aurora kinase A and trichoplein].","authors":"Yuhei Nishimura","doi":"10.1254/fpj.26003","DOIUrl":"10.1254/fpj.26003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The primary cilium is an antenna-like protruding organelle that detects various signals and changes its length according to the context, thereby regulating cellular functions such as proliferation, differentiation, and migration properly. The role of primary cilia in various diseases is increasingly being elucidated, drawing attention to the potential for novel therapies targeting primary cilia. Activation of Aurora kinase A (AURKA) located at centrioles shortens primary cilia mainly through modulation of microtubules and actin filaments in the axoneme. Abnormal activation of AURKA at centrioles is implicated in the pathophysiology of various diseases, including ciliopathy, obesity, and cancer. The activation of AURKA in centrioles involves interactions with various proteins. Drugs that inhibit these protein-protein interactions can potentially ameliorate the abnormal activation of AURKA at centrioles but not AURKA at other organelles, such as the mitotic spindle, resulting in minimal side effects. This paper focuses on trichoplein, which binds to and activates AURKA in centrioles, and outlines the regulation of primary cilia, targeting the interaction between AURKA and trichoplein.</p>","PeriodicalId":12208,"journal":{"name":"Folia Pharmacologica Japonica","volume":"161 3","pages":"183-186"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147835813","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[Neurobiology of pair-bonded sociality in prairie voles].","authors":"Mikuru Kudara, Haruka Suzuki, Yuji Ikegaya, Nobuyoshi Matsumoto","doi":"10.1254/fpj.26033","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1254/fpj.26033","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying social behavior has been advanced by research using mice and rats. Specifically, the dorsal hippocampal CA2 area, ventral hippocampal CA1 area, and nucleus accumbens have been identified as critical for social recognition, while the medial preoptic area serves as a central hub for parental behavior. However, these polygamous species are unsuitable for studying \"pair bonding\"-an enduring, selective preference for a specific mate. To address this, this review focuses on monogamous prairie voles. Pair bond formation requires neuromodulators-including vasopressin, oxytocin, and dopamine-acting synergistically within reward regions such as the nucleus accumbens and ventral pallidum to associate partner-specific sensory cues with reward value. Recent studies further reveal that specific neural dynamics in the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens dynamically regulate bond formation, and that the ventral hippocampal CA1 neurons exhibit partner-specific activity. Comprehensively, understanding the biological principles of sociality requires integrating the social identification mechanisms elucidated in mice with the valuation mechanisms demonstrated in prairie voles. Elucidating how the brain distinguishes the specific individual from the others and encodes him/her as \"special\" remains a key challenge for the future of social neurobiology.</p>","PeriodicalId":12208,"journal":{"name":"Folia Pharmacologica Japonica","volume":"161 4","pages":"264-269"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148367711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[Oxytocin regulates social familiarity-dependent mate choice in medaka].","authors":"Saori Yokoi","doi":"10.1254/fpj.26034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1254/fpj.26034","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Some social animals have evolved the ability to distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar individuals and to flexibly modify their behavior according to social context. Disruption of this system has been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, motivating efforts to elucidate its molecular basis. Among the factors involved in social behavior, oxytocin has attracted considerable attention; however, its actions are not uniform and may vary across species and between sexes. Here, we investigated how oxytocin regulates familiarity-dependent mate choice using medaka, a model organism that relies primarily on visual cues for social recognition. In female medaka, wild-type individuals preferentially accepted familiar males, whereas oxytocin-deficient females rapidly accepted even unfamiliar males, resulting in a loss of familiarity-dependent preference. In contrast, oxytocin-deficient males showed reduced courtship toward unfamiliar females, but their courtship frequency increased with cohabitation. Furthermore, in triadic social interactions, oxytocin-deficient males displayed enhanced mate-guarding behavior toward familiar females, indicating exaggerated preference. These results demonstrate that oxytocin deficiency produces sex-dependent effects on mate choice. Whole-brain transcriptome analyses revealed a consistent reduction in the expression of complement component C1q genes in both sexes, suggesting abnormalities in neurodevelopmental processes. In addition, genes related to GABA metabolism were selectively altered in females, indicating sex-specific molecular pathways downstream of oxytocin signaling. Finally, we introduce UPA-seq, a method to evaluate RNA-protein interactions genome-wide. Integrating UPA-seq into future studies is expected to enable efficient identification of previously uncharacterized genes downstream of the pathways identified here, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying oxytocin-dependent mate choice.</p>","PeriodicalId":12208,"journal":{"name":"Folia Pharmacologica Japonica","volume":"161 4","pages":"270-274"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148367737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[Pharmacological properties and clinical trial results of datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd, Datroway<sup>®</sup>)].","authors":"Takahiro Iijima, Daisuke Okajima","doi":"10.1254/fpj.26028","DOIUrl":"10.1254/fpj.26028","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) is a next-generation antibody therapeutics designed to deliver drugs selectively and efficiently to cancer cells, offering high efficacy and reduced side effects. Daiichi Sankyo has established a novel DXd-ADC technology using DXd, a derivative of the topoisomerase I inhibitor exatecan, as its payload. With this technology, we developed trastuzumab deruxtecan, the first DXd-ADC directed toward HER2. To generate a novel DXd-ADC covering unmet medical needs, we have developed a novel trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2)-directed DXd-ADC, datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd). In the preclinical studies, we confirmed that Dato-DXd binds to TROP2 on cancer cell surface and, following internalization and lysosomal trafficking, releases DXd. The released DXd induces DNA damage and apoptosis in cancer cells. Additionally, Dato-DXd showed TROP2-dependent antitumor activity in multiple human cancer cell line-derived and patient-derived xenograft mouse models. Clinically, the global phase III trial targeting hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative, unresectable or recurrent breast cancer led to its first approval in Japan in December 2024, followed by the approvals in the US and Europe later.</p>","PeriodicalId":12208,"journal":{"name":"Folia Pharmacologica Japonica","volume":"161 4","pages":"275-279"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148367301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[Circadian clock gene-mediated regulation of chronic pain pathophysiology].","authors":"Wakaba Yamakawa, Sai Yasukochi, Satoru Koyanagi","doi":"10.1254/fpj.26014","DOIUrl":"10.1254/fpj.26014","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Many physiological functions in humans and other mammals exhibit circadian rhythms with an approximate 24-hour period, enabling efficient adaptation to periodic environmental changes driven by the Earth's rotation. Clock genes generate circadian rhythms at the cellular level through transcription-translation feedback loops and contribute to the maintenance of physiological homeostasis. Accordingly, dysfunction of clock genes or chronic disruption of circadian rhythms has been implicated in increased disease risk and exacerbation of pathological conditions, and accumulating evidence indicates their involvement in the development and regulation of chronic pain disorders, including neuropathic pain and cancer-associated pain. For example, dysfunction of the clock gene Period2 circadian regulation of sleep-wake cycles and hormone secretion; however, Period2-defective mice do not develop neuropathic pain even after peripheral nerve injury. This phenotype is attributed to enhanced expression of adrenergic α1D receptors in the spinal dorsal horn, leading to increased endocannabinoid production, suggesting the existence of a previously unrecognized pain-inhibitory pathway. In addition, Rev-erbs, a class of nuclear receptors functioning as clock genes, are involved in circadian regulation and periodically suppress the expression of lipocalin-2 in the spinal cord. During the development of cancer-related pain, circadian control of lipocalin-2 expression contributes to daily fluctuations in pain thresholds. Artificial ligands targeting Rev-erbs are therefore suggested to alleviate cancer pain by suppressing lipocalin-2 expression. Collectively, functional analysis of clock genes in pain disorders is expected not only to deepen understanding of pathophysiology but also to facilitate identification of novel therapeutic targets and development of new analgesics from a chronobiological perspective.</p>","PeriodicalId":12208,"journal":{"name":"Folia Pharmacologica Japonica","volume":"161 4","pages":"234-238"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148367687","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[Multi-modality strategy for creating innovative drugs].","authors":"Narihiro Toda","doi":"10.1254/fpj.25060","DOIUrl":"10.1254/fpj.25060","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In recent years, a wide variety of modalities, including small molecules, antibodies, nucleic acids, and gene therapies, have been successfully applied to drug discovery and have demonstrated significant achievements. The diversification and advancement in modalities have expanded the range of targets and diseases we can address, opening new opportunities for drug discovery. At Daiichi Sankyo, we are advancing a multi-modality strategy that shifts the focus from solely small molecules to broader range of modalities. In this strategy, it is critical to select the appropriate modality for each target to transform research concepts into viable drug candidates. Additionally, developing competitive modality technologies and platforms is essential for continuously creating innovative drugs with improved treatment outcomes. Our multi-modality strategy enables us to combine different modality technologies into more advanced modality development.</p>","PeriodicalId":12208,"journal":{"name":"Folia Pharmacologica Japonica","volume":"161 3","pages":"140-144"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147835840","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}