Secretariat, Alumni Association, IDAC
Date	Monday, 15 December 2025, 13:00～
Room	7th Floor, Seminar Room 1, IDAC Center for Basic Aging Research
Title	Regulation of Aging and Longevity by Ppp1r17-Expressing Neurons in the Hypothalamus
Speaker	Kyohei Tokizane, PhD
Affiliation	Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
Organizer	Akiko Satoh (Department of Integrative Physiology, ext.8544)
Abstract	Aging is characterized by a progressive decline in various physiological functions, and increasing evidence suggests that inter-organ communication plays a critical role in this process. In mammals, the hypothalamus serves as a key regulator of inter-organ interactions, as well as aging and longevity. Among hypothalamic regions, a specific population of Ppp1r17-expressing neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) regulates white adipose tissue function through the sympathetic nervous system, thereby affecting aging and lifespan. Specifically, age-related changes in the subcellular localization of Ppp1r17, regulated by protein kinase G (PKG; Prkg1), disrupt synaptic function in these DMH neurons during aging, leading to white adipose tissue dysfunction. Furthermore, DMH-specific knockdown of Prkg1 or chemogenetic activation of Ppp1r17-expressing neurons counteracts aging and extends lifespan. In this seminar, I will present these findings as a foundation for exploring inter-tissue communication between the hypothalamus and peripheral tissues that influence aging and discuss future research directions.