Research
Faculty Members
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology（Biology）
Sakurai FuminoriAssociate professor
Academic record; Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University (Ph.D.)
Subjects; Biochemistry 2, Advanced Medicine
Specialty; Gene Therapy, Pharmacokinetics, Virology.
Now much attention has been focused on gene therapy and nucleic acid therapeutics as a novel class of therapeutic modality. We are conducting research on the development of next-generation gene therapy products and nucleic acid therapeutics.
Research theme
Cancer Therapy using Oncolytic Viruses
Oncolytic viruses, which specifically infect and kill cancer cells, have gained much attention as a novel anticancer agent. Now, research about oncolytic adenovirus and reovirus is ongoing.
Gene Therapy using Recombinant Virus Vectors
Efficient and safe delivery of therapeutic genes into target cells is crucial for successful gene therapy. Now we are doing several projects about development and evaluation of novel virus-based gene delivery vehicles.
Research about Oligonucleotide Therapeutics
Nucleic acid therapeutics are a novel category of therapeutics for treatment of intractable diseases. Now our research is focusing on double stranded RNA-induced cellular events.
Representative achievements
Shimizu K*, Sakurai F*#, et al. Adenovirus Vector-Induced IL-6 Promotes Leaky Adenoviral Gene Expression, Leading to Acute Hepatotoxicity. J. Immunol., 206, 410-421. (2021) (*equally contributed, #Corresponding author)
Hotani T, Mizuguchi H, Sakurai F#. Systemically Administered Reovirus-Induced Downregulation of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α in Subcutaneous Tumors. Mol.Ther.Oncolytics, 12, 162-172. (2018) (#Corresponding author)
Wakabayashi K, Sakurai F#., et al. A MicroRNA Derived from Adenovirus Virus-Associated RNAII Promotes Virus Infection via Posttranscriptional Gene Silencing. J.Virol., 93, e01265-18. (#Corresponding author)
Katayama Y, Sakurai F#, et al. Oncolytic Reovirus Inhibits Immunosuppressive Activity of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in a TLR3-Dependent Manner. J. Immunol. (2018) 200, 2987-2999. (#Corresponding author)
Iizuka S*, Sakurai F*#, et al. Neonatal Gene Therapy for Hemophilia B by a Novel Adenovirus Vector Showing Reduced Leaky Expression of Viral Genes. Mol.Ther.Methods Cin.Dev., 6, 183-193. (2017) (*equally contributed, #Corresponding author)
Machitani M, Sakurai F#., et al. Type I Interferons Impede Short Hairpin RNA-Mediated RNAi via Inhibition of Dicer-Mediated Processing to Small Interfering RNA. Mol.Ther.Nucleic Acids. 6, 173-182, (2017) (#Corresponding author)
Machitani M, Sakurai F#., et al. Enhanced Oncolytic Activities of the Telomerase-Specific Replication-Competent Adenovirus Expressing Short-Hairpin RNA against Dicer. Mol.Cancer Ther. 16, 251-259. (2017) (#Corresponding author)
Machitani M*, Sakurai F*#., et al. Dicer functions as an antiviral system against human adenoviruses via cleavage of adenovirus-encoded noncoding RNA. Sci.Rep. 6, 27598. (2016) (*equally contributed, #Corresponding author)
Terasawa Y, Sakurai F#, et al. Activity levels of cathepsins B and L in tumor cells are a biomarker for efficacy of reovirus-mediated tumor cell killing. Cancer Gene Ther., 22, 187-197. (2015) (#Corresponding author)
Shimizu K*, Sakurai F*#, et al. Suppression of leaky expression of adenovirus genes by insertion of microRNA-targeted sequences in the replication-incompetent adenovirus vector genome. Mol.Ther.Methods Cin.Dev., 1, 14035. (2014) (*equally contributed, #Corresponding author)
