佐藤 将哲

1) Heart failure is the most severe disease as it is the main leading cause of hospitalisation among people older than 65. Heart failure is usually referred as secondary disease as it coexists or is caused by some other risk factors, including diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
There is convincing evidence that α1A-adrenergic receptor (α1A-ARs) are expressed in cardiomyocytes and have important protective roles in heart failure, whereas the mechanisms involved are poorly characterised. Masa focuses on defining the signaling pathways mediating cardioprotective effects of α1A-ARs, by measuring protein phosphorylation and localization, glucose uptake, and cell viability.
2) The continuing increase in type-2 diabetes worldwide emphasizes the importance of understanding mechanisms of glucose uptake in skeletal muscle (which is primarily responsible for whole-body glucose disposal) and brown adipose tissue (BAT; which transfer energy from food into heat). Most current therapies target insulin secretion or sensitivity but alternative treatment options will most likely eventuate from a better understanding of the signaling pathways that are involved in skeletal muscle and BAT glucose uptake. Masa investigates a novel insulin-independent signaling pathway leading to increase glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and BAT.