Primary cilia are immobile structures that extend from the surface of various cells and have been suggested to be involved in signal transduction from extracellular stimuli. In the nervous system, primary cilia are constructed in neurons and glial cells and have been suggested to play an important role in neurodevelopment and neuroregeneration, but the detailed molecular mechanisms remain unexplored. In this study, we investigated the role of primary cilia in the repair process of the damaged brain, by using the zebrafish brain injury-repair model. Zebrafish has a higher regenerative capacity than mammals and is a suitable animal model for observing the regeneration process of damaged brains. We also analyzed the effect of trichoplein and KCTD17 that we have previously identified as regulators of primary cilia formation. Trichoplein is localized in the basal bodies of primary cilia and works as a suppressor of primary cilia formation through activation of Aurora A kinase. KCTD17 is also involved in primary cilia formation through ubiquitination and degradation of trichoplein. In this presentation, we demonstrate the role of primary cilia and the effect of trichoplein and KCTD17 in the repairing process after brain injury.
