Tomokazu Fukuda

写真a

Affiliation

IWATE University  Faculty of Agriculture  Department of Life Science  Course of Molecular Biomedical Sciences 

Position

Professor
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Research Interests 【 display / non-display 】

  • Livestock Science

  • Carcinogenesis

  • Radioactive Safety Evaluation

  • Critically Endangered Species

  • Immortalized Cell

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Graduating School 【 display / non-display 】

  • 　
    -
    1999.03

    Kobe University   Faculty of Agriculture   Graduated

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Graduate School 【 display / non-display 】

  • 　
    -
    1999.03

    Nara Medical University  Graduate School, Division of Medicine  Doctor's Course  Completed

  • 　
    -
    1993.03

    Kobe University  Graduate School, Division of National Science and Technology  Master's Course  Completed

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Degree 【 display / non-display 】

  • Nara Medical University -  Ph.D.  1999.03.31

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Campus Career 【 display / non-display 】

  • 2017.05
    -
    Now

    IWATE University   Faculty of Agriculture   Food Animal Medicine & Food Safety Research Center   Professor   [Concurrently]

  • 2016.04
    -
    Now

    IWATE University   Faculty of Agriculture   Veterinary Medicine   Professor   [Concurrently]

  • 2016.04
    -
    Now

    IWATE University   Faculty of Science and Engineering   Department of Chemistry and Biological Science   Studies in Biological Sciences   Professor   [Duty]

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External Career 【 display / non-display 】

  • 2008.04
    -
    2016.03

    Tohoku University   Associate Professor  

  • 2005.05
    -
    2008.03

    National Cancer Center Research Institute of Japan   Technical Support Staff  

  • 2001.02
    -
    2005.04

    National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIEHS-NIH   Visiting Fellow  

  • 1999.04
    -
    2001.01

    Japanese Foundation of Cancer Research   Technical Support Staff  

  • 1993.04
    -
    1995.03

    生物環境科学研究所   Staff Scientist  

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Research Areas 【 display / non-display 】

  • Life Science / Animal production science

  • Life Science / Pathological biochemistry

  • Environmental Science/Agriculture Science / Conservation of biological resources

  • Environmental Science/Agriculture Science / Radiation influence

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Recommended URL 【 display / non-display 】

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Course Subject 【 display / non-display 】

  • 2025

    Advanced Training

  • 2025

    Advanced Research

  • 2025

    Cell Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

  • 2025

    Biology

  • 2025

    Introduction to Molecular Biomedical Science

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Published Papers 【 display / non-display 】

  • Direct reprogramming of Müller glia into photoreceptors via multiple transcription factors and small molecules: molecular mechanisms and transcriptomic analysis

    Yuka Endo 1, Eriko Sugano 1, Yuko Seko 2, Tomokazu Fukuda 3, Kitako Tabata 1, Taira Kakizaki 1, Shu Maruoka 1, Takanori Yokoyama 1, Hanaho Mori 1, Taku Ozaki 4, Lanlan Bai 3, Hiroshi Tomita 5

    In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim ( Springer )  62 ( 5 )   2026.05  [Refereed]

    Bulletin of University, Institute, etc.  Multiple authorship

    Direct reprogramming, involving overexpression of transcription factors in combination with specific small-molecule treatments to induce cell fate conversion, represents a promising strategy for regenerative medicine and disease modeling. Monocistronic expression of four transcription factors (CRX, NEUROD, RAX, and OTX2) has been demonstrated to induce the expression of phototransduction-associated genes and confer light responsiveness in fibroblasts. In contrast, polycistronic expression of the same four factors resulted in the upregulation of only two cone-specific genes, indicating that optimization of reprogramming conditions is required to achieve complete photoreceptor differentiation. In this study, we focused on Müller glial cells, which exhibit regenerative potential in the retina of lower vertebrates, and explored their reprogramming into photoreceptor-like cells. We thus combined polycistronic expression of the aforementioned transcription factors and a pharmacological reprogramming approach utilizing a defined cocktail of small molecules. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that transcription factor introduction alone led to the upregulation of the genes related to neuronal identity and extracellular matrix components. Notably, the combination of transcription factor expression and chemical treatment induced photoreceptor-specific gene expression. However, no genes associated with phototransduction were detected, suggesting that further refinement is required to promote full differentiation into functionally mature light-responsive photoreceptors. Overall, our findings demonstrate that immortalized Müller glia can partially activate neuronal and photoreceptor genes through reprogramming, suggesting their potential for scalable drug screening and disease modeling. Clinical trial number: not applicable.

    DOI PubMed

  • Val109 and Ile170 contribute to channel function in Guillardia theta-derived anion channelrhodopsins

    Takanori Yokoyama, Eriko Sugano, Kitako Tabata, Taira Kakizaki, Shu Maruoka, Yuka Endo, Taku Ozaki, Tomokazu Fukuda, Lanlan Bai, Hiroshi Tomita

    Scientific Reports ( Nature Publishing )  16 ( 1 ) 16858   2026.04  [Refereed]

    Bulletin of University, Institute, etc.  Multiple authorship

    Anion channelrhodopsins (ACRs) are widely used for optical silencing of neurons. Photocurrents and kinetics are crucial for the precise control of cell hyperpolarization. In this study, we investigated the roles of amino acid residues in each transmembrane domain of the Guillardia theta-derived anion channelrhodopsins, GtACR1 and GtACR2, to develop high-performance ACRs. Several chimaera ACRs were generated by replacing the transmembrane (TM) domains of GtACR1 with homologous counterparts of GtACR2, and photocurrents in HEK cells transduced with each variant were recorded by patch-clamp. The relationship between photocurrent and protein localisation was determined. Chimaeras of TM4, TM5, and TM6 in GtACR1 replaced with the homologous counterparts of GtACR2 showed wavelength changes and fast kinetics(τon/off). V109 of TM3, the putative ion tunnel with I170, one of the key interactions for the peak photocurrent. Molecular dynamics simulations using data from the point mutation analysis in I170 showed that the distance from V109 to I170 correlated negatively with the peak photocurrents. The relationship between τ-off and the distance from E68 to N239, which formed the bottleneck of the ion tunnel, was positively correlated. These findings provide useful information for the development of ACRs with higher light sensitivities and faster kinetics(τon/off).

    DOI PubMed

  • Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Protects Against Light-Induced Retinal Damage in Association with the Suppression of c-Fos Signalling

    Hinata Ozawa 1, Eriko Sugano 1 2, Kitako Tabata 1, Taira Kakizaki 1, Akimune Sato 1, Yoshihiro Takai 3, Kohei Sone 3, Miwako Shidomi 4, Yuki Ishii 4, Akito Saito 1, Kentaro Totuka 1, Taku Ozaki 5, Tomokazu Fukuda 6, Lanlan Bai 6, Hiroshi Tomita 1 2

    Int J Mol Sci ( MDPI )  27 ( 4 ) 1929   2026.02  [Refereed]

    Bulletin of University, Institute, etc.  Multiple authorship

    Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive retinal disorder characterised by oxidative stress and inflammation. Although pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) has been reported to exert neuroprotective effects, its specific efficacy in in vivo models of AMD pathophysiology has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we evaluated the protective effects of PQQ against all-trans-retinal (ATR)-induced cytotoxicity in ARPE-19 cells and light-induced photoreceptor degeneration in rats. Pretreatment of ARPE-19 cells with PQQ dose-dependently mitigated ATR-induced cytotoxicity. In the in vivo model, rats received a single intraperitoneal injection of PQQ (2 or 5 mg/kg) 1 h prior to 1000-lux light exposure. Retinal function and morphology were evaluated by electroretinography and haematoxylin-eosin staining, respectively. The 5 mg/kg PQQ group retained significantly greater retinal function than the vehicle group at 3 days postexposure and demonstrated significant preservation of the outer nuclear layer at 7 days postexposure, indicating the suppression of photoreceptor cell death. Western blot analysis detected the dose-dependent suppression of light-induced c-Fos upregulation following PQQ treatment. These findings suggest that the protective effect of PQQ against phototoxic damage is associated with the suppression of c-Fos signalling, thus lending support to the further investigation of PQQ as a potential therapeutic agent for AMD.

    DOI PubMed

  • Engineering Immortalized Bovine Granulosa Cells Using a Triple-Gene Approach: Mutant CDK4, Cyclin D1, and TERT

    Lanlan Bai 1 2, Minami Takahashi 3, Jin Kobayashi 3, Takahiro Eitsuka 4, Himari Matsusaka 2, Taku Ozaki 1 2, Eriko Sugano 1 2, Hiroshi Tomita 1 2, Yuan Xu 5, Kazuhiro Kawamura 5, Kiyotaka Nakagawa 4, Tohru Kiyono 6 7, Tomokazu Fukuda 1 2

    Cell Biol Int ( wiley )  50 ( 2 ) e70126   2026.02  [Refereed]

    Bulletin of University, Institute, etc.  Multiple authorship

    Advancing reproductive technologies in livestock is essential to improve both productivity and genetic potential of cattle. Despite this importance, application of reproductive biotechnologies in cattle breeding remains limited. Bovine granulosa cells (bGCs), which are key components of the ovarian follicle, are critical in female reproduction as they produce steroid hormones and growth factors necessary for oocyte development. However, primary bGCs exhibit restricted proliferative capacity in vitro, limiting their utility in large-scale studies on mechanisms related to follicular development. To address this limitation, we attempted to immortalize bGCs by co-expressing human mutant cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4R24C), cyclin D1, and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) using lentiviral vectors. The resulting immortalized cells (bGCs-K4DT) displayed extended proliferative lifespans, surpassing 100 population doublings without exhibiting signs of senescence. The transduced cells demonstrated a more active cell cycle profile and higher telomerase activity relative to parental bGCs. Importantly, they retained the bGC-specific marker, aromatase, albeit at reduced expression levels. This immortalized bGC offers a promising model for investigating the role of bioactive components of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in follicular activation and growth, thereby supporting innovations in livestock reproductive technologies.

    DOI PubMed

  • Comparison of cellular responses of cultured fibroblasts from Iriomote wild cats and domestic cats exposure to polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid

    Masafumi Katayama 1, Ayusa Kataoka 2, Tomokazu Fukuda 3, Manabu Onuma 1

    PLoS One ( PLoS )  20 ( 9 )   2025.09  [Refereed]

    Bulletin of University, Institute, etc.  Multiple authorship

    The Iriomote wild cat is endemic to Iriomote Island. The total population is only 100 cats. These cats are thus listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Infectious disease is a risk factor for further reducing the Iriomote wild cat population. RIG-I, MDA5 and TLR3 are important sensors that recognize host viral defense responses. IL6, Mx, and OAS are downstream genes of RIG-I and MDA5. Polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) stimulates the RIG-I, MDA5 and TLR3 in many animals. In this study, we thus tried to compare RIG-I, MDA5, and TLR3 responses after exposure to the poly(I:C) in domestic cat- and Iriomote wild-cat-derived fibroblasts. This study also compared the expression of downstream gene (IL6, Mx, and OAS) of RIG-I and MDA5. This study analyzed the genes expressions of domestic cat- and Iriomote wild-cat-derived fibroblasts after exposure the poly(I:C), using real-time PCR and RNA-seq. In addition to these genes expression, this study compared the gene sequence of RIG-I and MDA5 between domestic cat and Iriomote wild cat with information of public database. RIG-I and MDA5 levels were increased in both domestic cat- and Iriomote cat-derived fibroblasts after poly(I:C) exposure, while TLR3 expression did not change dramatically after poly(I:C) exposure. A comprehensive gene expression analysis revealed that molecular responses of fibroblasts derived from domestic cats and those derived from Iriomote wild cats to poly(I:C) exposure were similar. Furthermore, RIG-I and MDA5 sequences are similar between domestic and Iriomote wild cat. Our results suggested that poly(I:C) mainly stimulates RIG-I and MDA5 among the three genes (RIG-I, MDA5 and TLR3) examined in this study, and the RIG-I and MDA5 mediated molecular responses to poly(I:C) exposure are similar in domestic and Iriomote wild cats fibroblasts. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to compare the RIG-I and MDA5 responses of Iriomote wild cats and domestic cats after poly(I:C) exposure. This study provides valuable insights into the cellular response mediated by RIG-I and MDA5 in the Iriomote wild cat.

    DOI

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Books 【 display / non-display 】

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Review Papers 【 display / non-display 】

  • Japanese golden eagle conservation science: current status and future needs

    Rob OGDEN, Tomokazu FUKUDA, Takayuki FUNO, Mamoru KOMATSU, Taku MAEDA, Anna MEREDITH, Masaya MIURA, Haruki NATSUKAWA, Manabu ONUMA, Yuki OSAFUNE, Keisuke SAITO, Yu SATO, Des THOMPSON, Miho INOUE-MURAYAMA

    Japanese Journal of Zoo Wildlife Medicine ( Japanese Society of Zoo Wildlife Medicine )  25 ( 1 ) 9 - 28   2020.03

    Academic Journal  

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Presentations 【 display / non-display 】

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Academic Awards Received 【 display / non-display 】

  • English Presentation Award

    2019.09.20

    All winners： Tomokazu Fukuda

  • 2017.03.30

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