Professor

Akira Togayachi

Profile

Specialized field

Glycobiology, Cell biology, Biochemistry

Research theme

(1) Analysis of glycogenes (glycosyltransferase genes)
(2) Analysis of the biological functions of glycans by glycogene engineering
(3) Discovery of disease-specific glycan target molecules and development of diagnostic techniques

Subjects in charge

Basic science experiments, molecular biology experiments, metabolic biochemistry, advanced science and engineering topics, case studies, seminars I and II, special topics in molecular biology, special topics in immunology, etc.

Specialized field

Glycobiology, Cell biology, Biochemistry

Research theme

Our laboratory aims to "elucidate the biological functions of glycans and glycoconjugates based on glycan-related genes and their industrial application." In general, we plan to focus on the following research themes.

(1) Analysis of glycogenes (glycosyltransferase genes): We will elucidate the regulatory mechanism of glycan biosynthesis in complex carbohydrates (glycoproteins, glycolipids, etc.) and analyze glycan-related genes (functional analysis).

(2) Analysis of the biological functions of glycans through glycogene engineering: We will analyze the biological functions of glycans using glycogene-engineered cells and glycogene knockout mice.

(3) Search for disease glycan target molecules and development of diagnostic technologies (development of disease glycan biomarkers: cancer, etc.): We analyze changes in glycans or glycan functions in human diseases, and search for biomarkers for use in diagnosis and develop related technologies.

research content

Glycans are important biomolecules (post-translational modifications) in living organisms. Glycans exist on the cell surface as glycoproteins and glycolipids, as well as in secreted glycoproteins. They are thought to be involved in cell-protein interactions, and the role (importance) of glycans in life phenomena has attracted attention. The addition of glycans can control the function of carrier molecules, or glycans can be recognized by biomolecules to trigger intracellular signals. Glycans are involved in many important life phenomena and diseases across fields. In the past, the elucidation of glycan functions was not very advanced, partly due to the lack of tools and techniques to easily identify glycan structures or their carrier molecules. However, in recent years, with the elucidation of glycogenes and the development of glycan analysis techniques, attempts to clarify the functions of glycans and to aim for the medical application of glycans have progressed rapidly worldwide.

The central theme of our laboratory is glycan research, which regards glycoproteins and glycolipids (complex carbohydrates) as the final functional substances, and in order to elucidate the important biological functions of glycans that cannot be obtained by conventional genome sequence analysis or proteomics analysis alone, we aim to clarify the biological functions of glycans and the molecular mechanisms of biological function control by glycans using analytical techniques such as glycogenes (using glycan modification techniques), glycan recognition proteins, and various omics. By clarifying the mechanisms of biological function control by glycans, we aim to elucidate the mechanisms of diseases in which glycans are involved, and to link this to industrial applications.

Main career, work history, and academic background

March 2002: Completed doctoral program in functional pharmaceutical sciences at the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Ph.D. (Pharmacy)

April 2002: First part-time employee (Postdoctoral Fellow), Gene Function Analysis Group, Molecular and Cellular Engineering Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

June 2002: New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Trainee Engineer
(NEDO Fellow): Dispatched to the Glycogene Function Analysis Team, Glycoscience Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

October 2003: Full-time staff member (junior fixed-term researcher), Glycogene Function Analysis Team, Glycoscience Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

April 2008: Became a full-time employee (researcher) at the same institute.

June 2011: Associate Professor, Department of Disease Control Medicine, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba (until March 2020)

October 2011: Principal Investigator, Glycoscience Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

April 2015: Senior Researcher, Glycotechnology Research Group, Drug Discovery Fundamental Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

April 2020: Professor, Graduate School of Science and Engineering Biosciences Major, Soka University

January 2021: Professor, Soka University Glycan & Life System Integration Center

Affiliated academic societies and organizations

Japanese Biochemical Society

Japanese Cancer Association

Japanese Society of Carbohydrate Research

Japanese Proteomics Society

Japan Society of Hepatology

others

Main Papers and Publications
  1. Angata K, Sawaki H Tsujikawa S, Ocho M, Togayachi A, and NarimatsuH. Glycogene expression profiling of hepatic cells by RNA-Seq analysis for glyco-biomarker identification. Frontiers in Oncology, Oncol. 2020 Jul 28;10:1224.
  2. Narimatsu H., Kaji H, Vakhrushev S, Clausen H, Zhang H, Noro E, Togayachi A, Nagai-Okatani C, Kuno A, Zou X, Cheng L, Tao SC, Sun Y. Current technologies for complex glycoproteomics and their applications to biology/disease-driven glycoproteomics. J Proteome Res. 2018. 17(12):4097-4112.
  3. Togayachi A, Azusa Tomioka, Mika Fujita, Masako Sukegawa, Erika Noro, Daisuke Takakura, Michiyo Miyazaki M, Shikanai T, Narimatsu H.,Kaji H. Identification of poly-N-acetyllactosamine-carrying glycoproteins from HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells using a site-specific glycome analysis method, Glyco-RIDGE. J Am Soc Mass Spectrom. 2018. 29(6):1138-1152.
  4. Matsuoka R, Shiba-Ishii A, Nakano N, Togayachi A, Sakashita S, Sato Y, Minami Y, and Noguchi M. Heterotopic production of ceruloplasmin by lung adenocarcinoma is significantly correlated with prognosis. Lung Cancer. 2018. 118: 97-104.
  5. Togayachi A, Iwaki J, Kaji H, Matsuzaki H, Kuno A, Hirao Y, Nomura M,Noguchi M, Ikehara Y, Narimatsu H. Glycobiomarker, fucosylated short-form secretogranin III levels are increased in the serum of patients with small cell lung carcinoma. J Proteome Res. 2017. 16(12):4495-4505.
  6. Tsuji S, Washimi K, Kageyama T, Yamashita M, Yoshihara M, Matsuura R, Yokose T, Kameda Y, Hayashi H, Morohoshi T, Tsuura Y, Yusa T, Sato T, Togayachi A, Narimatsu H., Nagasaki T, Nakamoto K, Moriwaki Y, Misawa H, Hiroshima K, MiyagiY, Imai K. HEG1 is a novel mucin-like membrane protein that serves as a diagnostic and therapeutic target for malignant mesothelioma. SciRep. 2017. 7:45768.
  7. Toyoda M, Kaji H, Sawaki H, Togayachi A, Angata T, Narimatsu H.,Kameyama A. Identification and characterization of sulfated glycoproteins from small cell lung carcinoma cells assisted by management of molecular charges. Glycoconj J. 2016. 33(6):917-926.
  8. Watanabe R, Kakizaki M, Ikehara Y. Togayachi A. Formation of Fibroblastic Reticular Network in the Brain after Infection with Neurovirulent Murine Coronavirus. Neuropathology. 2016. 36(6):513-526.
  9. Kakizaki M, Togayachi A, Narimatsu H., Watanabe R. Contribution of Lewis X carbohydrate structure to neuropathogenic murine coronaviral spread. Jpn J Infect Dis. 2016. 69(5):405-413
  10. Ito H, Kaji H, Togayachi A, Azadi P, Ishihara M, Geyer R, Galuska C,Geyer H, Kakehi K, Kinoshita M,Karlsson NG, Jin C, Kato K, Yagi H,Kondo S, Kawasaki N, Hashii N,Kolarich D, Stavenhagen K, Packer NH, Thaysen-Andersen M, Nakano M,Taniguchi N, Kurimoto A, Wada Y,Tajiri M, Yang P, Cao W, Li H, Rudd PM, Narimatsu H. Comparison of analytical methods for profiling N- and O-linked glycans from cultured cell lines: HUPO Human Disease Glycomics/Proteome Initiative multi-nstitutional study. Glycoconj J. 2016. 33(3):405-415.
  11. Iio E, Ocho M, Togayachi A, Nojima M, Kuno A, Ikehara Y, Hasegawa I, Yatsuhashi H, Yamasaki K, Shimada N, Ide T, Shinkai N, Nojiri S, Fujiwara K, Joh T, Mizokami M, Narimatsu H., Tanaka Y. A novel glycobiomarker, Wisteria floribunda agglutinin macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor, for predicting carcinogenesis of liver cirrhosis. Int J Cancer. 2016 Mar 15;138(6):1462-1471.
  12. Noro E, Togayachi A, Sato T, Tomioka A, Fujita M, Sukegawa M,Suzuki N, Kaji H, Narimatsu H. Large-scale identification of N-glycan glycoproteins carrying Lewis x and site-specific N-glycan alterations in Fut9 knockout mice. J Proteome Res. 2015. 14(9):3823-3834.
  13. Sasaki R, Yamasaki K, Abiru S, Komori A, Nagaoka S, Saeki A, Hashimoto S, Bekki S, Kugiyama Y, Kuno A, Korenaga M, Togayachi A, Ocho M, Mizokami M, Narimatsu H., Ichikawa T, Nakao K, Yatsuhashi H. Serum Wisteria Floribunda Agglutinin-Positive Mac-2 Binding Protein Values Predict the Development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma among Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C after Sustained Virological Response. PLoS One. 2015. 10(6):e0129053.
  14. Tamaki N, Kurosaki M, Kuno A, Korenaga M, Togayachi A, Gotoh M,Nakakuki N, Takada H, Matsuda S, Hattori N, Yasui Y, Suzuki S,Hosokawa T, Tsuchiya K, Nakanishi H, Itakura J, Takahashi Y, Mizokami M, Narimatsu H., Izumi N. Wisteria floribunda agglutinin positive human Mac-2-binding protein as a predictor of hepatocellular carcinoma development in chronic hepatitis C patients. Hepatol Res. 2015. 45(10):E82-88.
  15. Hirao Y, Matsuzaki H, Iwaki J, Kuno A, Kaji H, Ohkura T, Togayachi A, Abe M, Nomura M, Noguchi M, Ikehara Y, Narimatsu H. Glycoproteomics Approach for Identifying Glycobiomarker Candidate Molecules for Tissue Type Classification of Non-small Cell Lung Carcinoma. J Proteome Res. 2014. 13(11):4705-4716.
  16. Akiyoshi S, Nomura KH, Dejima K, Murata D, Matsuda A, Kanaki N, Takagi T, Mihara H, Nagaishi T, Furukawa S, Ando KG, Yoshina S, Mitani S, Togayachi A, Suzuki Y, Shikanai T, Narimatsu H., Nomura K. RNAi screening of human glycogene orthologs in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the construction of the C. elegans glycogene database (CGGDB). Glycobiology. 2015. 25(1):8-20.
  17. Yamasaki K, Tateyama M, Abiru S, Komori A, Nagaoka S, Saeki A, Hashimoto S, Sasaki R, Bekki S, Kugiyama Y, Miyazoe Y, Kuno A, Korenaga M, Togayachi A, Ocho M, Mizokami M, Narimatsu H.,Yatsuhashi H. Elevated serum levels of WFA+ -M2BP predict the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis C patients. Hepatology. 2014. 60(5):1563-1570.
  18. Kashiwazaki H, Kakizaki M, Ikehara Y, Togayachi A, Narimatsu H.,Watanabe R. Mice lacking α1,3-fucosyltransferase 9 exhibit modulation of in vivo immune responses against pathogens. Pathol Int. 2014.
    64(5):199-208.
  19. Toshima T, Shirabe K, Ikegami T, Yoshizumi T, Kuno A, Togayachi A, Gotoh M, Narimatsu H., Korenaga M,Mizokami M, Nishie A, Aishima S, Maehara Y. A novel serum marker, glycosylated Wisteria floribunda-positive Mac-2 binding protein (WFA+-M2BP), for assessing liver fibrosis. J Gastroenterol. 2015. 50(1):76-84.
  20. Sogabe M, Nozaki H, Tanaka N, Kubota T, Kaji H, Kuno A, Togayachi A, Gotoh M, Nakanishi H, Nakanishi T, Mikami M, Suzuki N, Kiguchi K,Ikehara Y, Narimatsu H. A Novel Glyco-biomarker for Ovarian Cancer
    That Detects Clear Cell Carcinoma. J Proteome Res. 2014 Mar 7;13(3):1624-1635.
  21. Ocho M, Togayachi A, Iio E, Kaji H, Kuno A, Sogabe M, Korenaga M,Gotoh M, Tanaka Y, Ikehara Y, Mizokami M, Narimatsu H. Application of a glycoproteomics-based biomarker development method:
    Alteration in glycan structure on colony stimulating factor 1 receptor is a possible glycobiomarker candidate for evaluation of liver cirrhosis. J Proteome Res. 2014. 13: 1428−1437.
  22. Kumar A, Torii T, Ishino Y, Muraoka D, Yoshimura T, Togayachi A, Narimatsu H., Ikenaka K, Hitoshi S. The Lewis X-related α1,3-Fucosyltransferase, Fut10, Is Required for the Maintenance of Stem Cell Populations. J Biol Chem. 2013. 288: 28859-28868.
  23. Kaji H., Ocho M, Togayachi A, Kuno A, Sogabe M, Ohkura T, Nozaki H,Angata T, Chiba Y, Ozaki H, Hirabayashi J, Tanaka Y, Mizokami M,Ikehara Y, Narimatsu H. Glycoproteomic Discovery of Serological Biomarker Candidates for HCV/HBV Infection-Associated Liver Fibrosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Proteome Res. 2013. 12(6):2630-2640.
  24. Hirao Y, Ogasawara S, Togayachi A, Matsuno Y, Ocho M, Yamashita K,Watanabe M, Nakamori S, Ikehara Y, Narimatsu H. Identification of core proteins carrying the sialyl Lewis a epitope in pancreatic cancers. J. Mol. Biomark. Diagn. (2012) Volume 3, Issue 3. 1000124.
  25. Liu, TW, Kaji H, Togayachi A, Ito H, Sato T, Narimatsu H. A chemoenzymatic approach toward the identification of fucosylated glycoproteins and mapping of N-glycan sites. Glycobiology. 2012.22(5): 630-637.
  26. Fan X, Kondo Y, Tokuda N, Ohmi Y, Ando R, Umezu T, Zhang Q, Furukawa K, Shibata K, Togayachi A, Narimatsu H, Okajima T, Kikkawa K, Furukawa K. Strong antibody reaction against glycosphingolipids injected in liposome-embedded forms in beta3GN-T5 knockout mice. Nagoya J Med Sci. 2011. 73(3-4): 137-146.
  27. Sato T, Kudo T, Ikehara Y, Ogawa, H, Hirano T., Kiyohara, K, Hagiwara, K, Togayachi A, Ema M, Takahashi S, Kimata K, Watanabe H, and Narimatsu H. Chondroitin sulfate N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 1 is necessary for normal endochondral ossification and aggrecan metabolism. J. Biol. Chem.,2011. 286: 5803-5812.
  28. Peng C, Togayachi A, Kwon YD, Xie C, Wu G, Zou X, Sato T, Ito H, Tachibana K, Kubota T, Noce T, Narimatsu H,and Zhang, Y.Identification of a novel human UDP-GalNAc transferase with unique catalytic activity and expression profile. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 2010. 402: 680-686.
  29. Togayachi A, Kozono Y, Ikehara Y, Ito H, Suzuki N, Tsunoda Y, Abe S, Sato T, Nakamura K, Suzuki M, Goda HM, Ito M, Kudo T, Takahashi S, and Narimatsu H. Lack of lacto/neolacto-glycolipids enhances the formation of glycolipid-enriched microdomains, facilitating B cell activation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 2010. 107: 11900-11905.
  30. Kondo Y, Tokuda N, Fan X, Yamashita T, Honke K, Takematsu H, Togayachi A, Ohta M, Kotzusumi Y,Narimatsu H,Tajima O, Furukawa K, and Furukawa K. Glycosphingolipids are not pivotal receptors for Subtilase cytotoxin in vivo: sensitivity analysis with glycosylation-defective mutant mice. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 2009. 378:179-181.
  31. Togayachi A, Kozono Y, Ishida H, Abe S, Suzuki N, Tsunoda Y, Hagiwara K, Kuno A, Ohkura T, Sato N, Sato T, Hirabayashi J, Ikehara Y, Tachibana K and Narimatsu H. Polylactosamine on glycoproteins influences basal levels of lymphocyte and macrophage activation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 2007. 104: 15829-15834.
  32. Tateno H, Uchiyama N, Kuno A, Togayachi A, Sato T, Narimatsu H, and Hirabayashi J. A novel strategy for mammalian cell surface glycome profiling using lectin microarray. Glycobiology, 2007. 17:1138-1146.
  33. Kudo T, Fujii T, Ikegami S, Inokuchi K, Takayama Y, Ikehara Y, Nishihara S, Togayachi A, Takahashi S, Tachibana K, Yuasa S, and Narimatsu H. Mice lacking 1,3-fucosyltransferase IX demonstrate disappearance of Lewis x structure in brain and increased anxiety-like behaviors. Glycobiology, 2007. 17: 1-9.Others
  34. Makoto Onaga and Akira Togatani: Development of glycoproteomics technology and its application to medicine. Development of serum glycan biomarkers for liver disease: An application example of glycoproteomics technology to the development of disease glycan biomarkers, Medical Progress, Vol. 249, No. 8, pp. 661-665, May 2014.
  35. Hisashi Narimatsu, Hiroyuki Kaji, Hiroaki Tateno, Akihiko Kameyama, Akira Togayanai, Toshisuke Kawazaki, Masako Maeda, Toshihide Shikanai, Issaku Yamada, Hiromichi Sawaki: Glycosylation Integrated Database JCGGDB, Experimental Medicine Special Issue "The Third Life Chain: Glycosylation Functions and Diseases", 208(1676)-213, June 2013.
  36. Tsukasa Shikano, Yoshiyuki Matsuo, Hisashi Narimatsu, Yuzuru Ikehara, Yoichi Niima, Akira Togayanai, Akihiko Kameyama, Jun Hirabayashi, Yasunori Chiba, Toshihide Shikanai, Hiromi Ito, Atsushi Kuno, and Hisashi Narimatsu: Understanding Glycotechnology Properly, Hakujitsusha, September 2008.
  37. Akira Togataniuchi, Yuko Kozono, Takashi Sato, Atsushi Kuno, Jun Hirabayashi, Yuzuru Ikehara, Hisashi Narimatsu: Role of polylactosamine glycans in the immune system, Genetic Medicine MOOK No. 11 "Development of clinical glycan biomarkers - elucidation of glycan functions and their applications", pp. 210-216, Medical Do Co., Ltd., September 2008.
  38. Akira Togataniuchi, Yuko Kozono, Takashi Sato, Atsushi Kuno, Jun Hirabayashi, Yuzuru Ikehara, and Hisashi Narimatsu: Regulation of Cellular Functions by Polylactosamine Sugar Chains, Protein, Nucleic Acid, Enzyme, September Special Issue, "Uniqueness and Universality of Sugar Chain Information", 53: 1590-1597, Kyoritsu Shuppan, September 2008.
  39. Satoru Ogasawara, Akira Togataniuchi, Takashi Sato, and Hisashi Narimatsu: Mucin synthesis genes, THE LUNG perspectives, 15: 68-74, January 2007
  40. Koichi Tachibana, Akira Togataniuchi, Juan-Da Kwon, and Hisashi Narimatsu: Cloning of human glycogenes is almost complete, Biotechnology Journal, 6: 289-293, April 2006, and others.
Major awards, exhibitions and collaborative works
  1. National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) Chairperson, Board of Trustees Award (Full-scale research), April 3, 2015 Hisashi Narimatsu, Atsushi Kuno, Hiroyuki Kaji, Akira Togayaniuchi, Takashi Sato, Yuzuru Ikehara, Masashi Goto "Development of glycobiomedical markers for liver disease"
  2. 14th Young Investigator Award, The Japanese Society of Carbohydrate Research, 30th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Carbohydrate Research, Niigata, July 11, 2011. Akira Togatani, "Isolation and Functional Analysis of Glycosyltransferase Genes -Focusing on Cloning and Functional Analysis of the β1,3-Linked Glycosyltransferase Family-"
  3. 10th Poster Award, The Japanese Society of Carbohydrate Research: Analysis of mice lacking β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 2 which synthesize polylactosamine chain., 26th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Carbohydrate Research (Sendai, August 23-25, 2006)
Books: English reviews (English journals)
  1. Togayachi A. Identification of polylactosamine carrier glycoprotein and its molecular function. Trends in Glycoscience and Glycotechnology. 2019. 31(181), SE65-66.
  2. Narimatsu H, Suzuki Y, Aoki-Kinoshita KF, Fujita N, Sawaki H, Shikanai T, Sato T, Togayachi A, Yoko-o T, Angata K, Kubota T, Noro E.GlycoGene Database (GGDB) on the Semantic Web. A Practical Guide to Using Glycomics Databases, 2016. 163-175. December 6, 2016
  3. Togayachi A. Polylactosamine and immunity. Glycoscience: Biology and Medicine. Vol. 1: 691-698, 2015. (Chapter85)
  4. Angata K, Sato T, Togayachi A, Narimatsu H. Beta1,3-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 2 (B3GALNT2). Handbook of Glycosyltransferases and Related Genes. 2nd edition. Vol. 1: 439-445, 2014 (Mar 3).
  5. Togayachi A., and Narimatsu H. Handbook of Glycosyltransferases and Related Genes. 2nd edition. Vol. 1: 89-100, 2014. The following chapters were co-authored:
    UDP-Gal: -GlcNAc 1,3-galactosyltransferase 5 (B3GALT5).
    UDP-GlcNAc: β-Gal β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 2 (B3GNT2).
    UDP-GlcNAc: β-Gal β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 4 (B3GNT4).
    UDP-GlcNAc: β-Gal β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 5 (B3GNT5).
    UDP-GlcNAc: β-Gal β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 6 (B3GNT6).
    UDP-GlcNAc: β-Gal β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 8 (B3GNT8).
  6. Togayachi A, and Narimatsu H. 3GnT2 (B3GNT2), a major polylactosamine synthase: Analysis of B3gnt2-deficient mice. Methods Enzymol., 479: 185-204, 2010
  7. Togayachi A, Shikanai T, Kwon YD. and Narimatsu H. A Database System for Glycogenes (GGDB). Experimental Glycoscience, 423-425, Springer, 2008.
  8. Togayachi A, Sato T, and Narimatsu H. 1,3-glycosyltransferase gene family and IGnT gene family. Experimental Glycoscience, 24-29, Springer, 2008.
  9. Togayachi A, Sato T, and Narimatsu H. Comprehensive enzymatic characterization of glycosyltransferases with a 3GT or 4GT motif. Methods Enzymol., 416: 91-102, 2006. et al.
Specialized field

Glycobiology, Cell biology, Biochemistry

Research theme

(1) Analysis of glycogenes (glycosyltransferase genes)
(2) Analysis of the biological functions of glycans by glycogene engineering
(3) Discovery of disease-specific glycan target molecules and development of diagnostic techniques