1. Members

Project leader	KIMURA Tomonori
Researcher	TSUKAMOTO Yusuke, KIMURA Shihoko, HESAKA Atsushi
Visiting researchers	NAGAMORI Shushi, KAWAKAMI Eiryo, HAMASE Kenji
Collaborating researchers	SAKAI Shinsuke, NAKANE Maiko, ISHIGO Shoto, IKEDA Tatsuhiko, KAWASHIMA Atsunari, KAWAMURA Masataka, TANIGUCHI Ayumu, UEMURA Toshihiko, YAMAMOTO Akinaru
Technical assistants	NAKAMURA Yumi, MATSUMURA Hiroyo, FUKUSHIMA Atsuko, KITAMURA Mieko, TANAKA Youko
Office administrators	YAMASAKI Keiko

2. Research objectives

Each amino acid, except glycine, has a chiral center and consists of two enantiomers, L- and D-amino acids. Ever since the discovery, scientists have only been studying L-form of amino acids because L-amino acids have exclusively detected in nature. Just recently, the presence of D-amino acids started to be recognized. Our recent analyses revealed that levels of D-amino acids are associated with the prognosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD), elucidating a novel link between D-amino acids and diseases. Additionally, D-amino acids are now also showing their potentials as novel biomarkers for earlier detection of diseases. This project aims to unveil the physiology of D-amino acids and elucidate the mystery of evolution.

As of October 2018, Dr Kimura was appointed as the director of Center for Rare Disease Research. In close collaboration with this center, KAGAMI Project broadens the diseases in scope.

3. Recent original and review articles

1. Hesaka A, Sakai S, Hamase K, Ikeda T, Matsui R, Mita M, Horio M, Isaka Y, Kimura T*: D-Serine reflects kidney function and diseases. Sci Rep 9: 5104, 2019
2. Kimura T, Jia J, Kumar S, Choi SW, Gu Y, Mudd M, Jiang S, Peters R, Farzam F, A. J, Lidke KA, Adams CM, Johansen T, Deretic V: Dedicated SNAREs and specialized TRIM cargo receptors mediate secretory autophagy. EMBO J 36: 42-60, 2017
3. Kimura T*, Isaka Y, Yoshimori T: Autophagy and kidney inflammation. Autophagy 13: 997-1003, 2017
4. Kimura T*, Hamase K, Miyoshi Y, Yamamoto R, Yasuda K, Mita M, Rakugi H, Hayashi T, Isaka Y: Chiral amino acid metabolomics for novel biomarker screening in the prognosis of chronic kidney disease. Scientific Reports 6: 26137, 2016
5. Kimura T*, Mandell M, Deretic V*: Precision autophagy directed by receptor regulators - emerging examples within the TRIM family. J Cell Sci 129: 881-891, 2016
6. Kimura T, Jain A, Choi S, Mandell MA, Schroder K, Johansen T, Deretic V: TRIM-mediated precision autophagy targets cytoplasmic regulators of innate immunity. J Cell Biol 210: 973-989, 2015
7. Deretic V, Kimura T, Moseley P, Timmins G, Chauhan S, Mandell M: Immunological manifestations of autophagy. J Clin Invest 117: 3489-3497, 2015
8. Kimura T, Takahashi A, Takabatake Y, Namba T, Yamamoto T, Kaimori JY, Matsui I, Kitamura H, Niimura F, Matsusaka T, Soga T, Rakugi H, Isaka Y: Autophagy protects kidney proximal tubule epithelial cells from mitochondrial metabolic stress. Autophagy 9: 1876-1886, 2013
9. Kimura T, Takabatake Y, Takahashi A, Isaka Y. Chloroquine in cancer therapy: a double-edged sword of autophagy. Cancer Res. Vol 73; 2013:3-7.
10. Kimura T, Takabatake Y, Takahashi A, Kaimori JY, Matsui I, Namba T, Kitamura H, Niimura F, Matsusaka T, Soga T, Rakugi H, Isaka Y: Autophagy Protects the Proximal Tubule from Degeneration and Acute Ischemic Injury. J Am Soc Nephrol 22: 902-913, 2011

4. Commentaries

1. Kimura T, personal communication: Unraveling the D-Amino Acid Mystery. the Pathologist 53: 9, 2019
2. Kimura T: Reverse translational research of autophagy and metabolism in kidney disease: Oshima Award Address 2018. Clinical and Experimental Nephrology 23, 733-738, 2019
3. Kimura T: The Importance of Chiral Metabolomics. the Analytical Scientist 53: 16-17, 2017
4. Kimura T: [Lysophagy: the role of damage recognition and ubiquitination by TRIM]. Jikken-igaku 35: 1818-1823, 2017
5. Kimura T: [Autophagy and innate immune response]. Saishin-igaku 72: 250-255, 2017
6. Kimura T: [Autophagy]. Ensho-to-menneki 26:177-180, 2018

Contact information

E-mail	t-kimura※nibiohn.go.jp (Please replace ※ with @.)