This study shows that genetic and epigenetic regulation of SLC6A4 influences vulnerability to cognitive decline and depressive symptoms in older adults.

medRxiv · Mar 28, 2026 · PreprintGenetic & Genomic Medicine

Population-specific polygenic risk for Alzheimer's disease is associated with Mini-Mental State Examination-based cognitive decline in a Japanese cohort

Yutaro Yanagida, Yutaka Nakachi, Issei Morita, Naoto Kajitani, Minoru Takebayashi, Kazuhiro Yoshiura, Manabu Makinodan, Tempei Ikegame, Kiyoto Kasai, Miki Bundo, Kazuya Iwamoto

The paper examines the association between Alzheimer's disease polygenic risk scores and cognitive decline measured by MMSE in a Japanese cohort, finding stronger associations with scores derived from Japanese GWAS.

medRxiv · Mar 28, 2026 · PreprintGenetic & Genomic Medicine

Hepatic Ketogenesis Attenuates Cardiac Hypertrophy via Metabolic Reprogramming

Toshihiro Yamada, Kei Morikawa, Akira Fujiyama, Takumi Nagakura, Yuqing Xu, Miho Kataoka, Terumasa Umemoto, Miki Bundo, Kazuya Iwamoto, Zeeshan Ahmed, Suvi Linna-Kuosmanen, Shinsuke Hanatani, Hiroki Usuku, Yasushi Matsuzawa, Yasuhiro Izumiya, , Yuichiro Arima

This study shows that hepatic ketogenesis reduces cardiac hypertrophy in HFpEF by maintaining beta-hydroxybutyrate levels, which modulate myocardial metabolism.

bioRxiv · Feb 2, 2026 · PreprintBiochemistry

Genome-wide mapping of sex-associated autosomal DNA methylation in major blood cell types

Yutaro Yanagida, Yutaka Nakachi, Miki Bundo, Syohei Komaki, Atsushi Shimizu, Kazuya Iwamoto

The paper maps sex-associated DNA methylation in blood cell types using whole genome bisulfite sequencing data from the iMETHYL database, identifying cell-type specific differentially methylated sites and their functional implications.

bioRxiv · Oct 14, 2025 · PreprintGenetics

G protein-biased LPAR1 agonism promotes prototypic antidepressant effects

Naoto Kajitani, Mami Okada‐Tsuchioka, Asuka Inoue, Kanako Miyano, Takeshi Masuda, Shuken Boku, Kazuya Iwamoto, Sumio Ohtsuki, Yasuhito Uezono, Junken Aoki, Minoru Takebayashi

This study identifies G protein-biased LPAR1 agonism as a mechanism underlying the antidepressant effects of TCAs like amitriptyline, distinguishing them from SSRIs.

bioRxiv · Nov 2, 2022 · PreprintNeuroscience

Inter-breeder differences in prepulse inhibition deficits of C57BL/6J mice in a maternal infection model for schizophrenia

Y. Kobayashi, Hiroyoshi Inaba, Yuriko Iwakura, Hisaaki Namba, Hidekazu Sotoyama, Yui Murata, Kazuya Iwamoto, Hiroyuki Nawa

This study shows that maternal infection with Poly(I:C) affects prepulse inhibition in offspring differently depending on the breeder, but not startle response or adaptation.

Neuropsychopharmacology Reports · May 27, 2021Peer-reviewedNeuroscience

Promoter activity-based case-control association study on SLC6A4 highlighting hypermethylation and altered amygdala volume in male patients with schizophrenia

Tempei Ikegame, Miki Bundo, Naohiro Okada, Y. Murata, Shinsuke Koike, Hiroko Sugawara, Takeo Saito, Masashi Ikeda, Keiho Owada, Masaki Fukunaga, Fumio Yamashita, Daisuke Koshiyama, Tatsunobu Natsubori, Norichika Iwashiro, Tatsuro Asai, , Kazuya Iwamoto

The paper identifies hypermethylation of SLC6A4 in male schizophrenia patients and links it to reduced amygdala volume and 5-HTTLPR genotype.

Schizophrenia Bulletin · May 27, 2020Peer-reviewedGenetics