KEIO RESEARCHERS INFORMATION SYSTEM

Career 【 Display / hide 】

Career 【 Display / hide 】

• 2017.04

  -

  2019.03

  The University of Tokyo, Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Research Associate

• 2019.04

  -

  2020.03

  Toyama Prefectural University, Biotechnology Research Center and Department of Biotechnology, Research Associate

• 2020.04

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  2023.03

  Keio University, Faculty of Science and Technology Department of Biosciences and Infomatics, Assistant Professor

Academic Background 【 Display / hide 】

Academic Background 【 Display / hide 】

• 2008.04

  -

  2012.03

  Keio University, 理工学部, 生命情報学科

  University, Graduated

• 2012.04

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  2014.03

  Keio University, 理工学研究科 基礎理工学専攻, 生命システム情報専修

  Graduate School, Completed, Master's course

• 2014.04

  -

  2017.03

  Keio University, 理工学研究科 基礎理工学専攻, 生命システム情報専修

  Graduate School, Completed, Doctoral course

Academic Degrees 【 Display / hide 】

Academic Degrees 【 Display / hide 】

• Doctor (Science), Keio University, Coursework, 2017.03

  Chemistry and biology of novel androgen receptor antagonist antarlides from microbial origin

Research Areas 【 Display / hide 】

Research Areas 【 Display / hide 】

• Nanotechnology/Materials / Chemical biology

• Life Science / Applied microbiology

• Life Science / Pharmaceutical chemistry and drug development sciences

Research Keywords 【 Display / hide 】

Research Keywords 【 Display / hide 】

• Chemical Biology

• Drug Discovery

• Natural Product Chemistry

• Microbiology

• Biosynthesis

Papers 【 Display / hide 】

Papers 【 Display / hide 】

• The Heat-Shock Metabolite Streptolactam D, Produced by High-Temperature Culture of Streptomyces sp. JA74, Promotes Thermotolerance via Self-Membrane Stabilization

  Saito S., Okumura Y., Kataoka S., Fukaya K., Urabe D., Arai M.A.

  Journal of the American Chemical Society 147 ( 18 ) 15676 - 15685 2025.05

  ISSN  00027863

  　View Summary

  A new streptolactam derivative featuring a 4-membered ring fused to a 6-membered ring in the macrolactam structure, streptolactam D (1), was isolated from the culture extract of thermotolerant Streptomyces sp. JA74. Production of compound 1 increased with high-temperature cultivation, and this type of compound was previously designated as a “heat-shock metabolite (HSM)” by our research group. The structure of 1 was determined by NMR and MS spectroscopic analyses, calculation of NMR and ECD spectra, and analysis of the biosynthetic gene cluster. Surprisingly, 1 promoted the growth of strain JA74 under high-temperature conditions and increased the growth limit temperature. Analysis of the mode of action using ultracentrifugation and scanning electron microscopy suggested that 1 localizes in the cell membrane and causes the cell to assume a short and thick morphology. Furthermore, 1 is predicted to maintain cell membrane fluidity and impart thermotolerance to strain JA74, similar to cholesterol and saturated fatty acids. These data suggest that 1 is produced to promote the survival of strain JA74 under high-temperature conditions.

  • Access to Document (DOI)

• Co-culture of Aspergillus niger IFM 59706 and RAW264 cells enhances the production of aurasperone A with nitric oxide inhibitory activity

  Ujie Y., Saito S., Banno T., Yaguchi T., Arai M.A.

  Bioscience Biotechnology and Biochemistry 89 ( 4 ) 541 - 547 2025.04

  ISSN  09168451

  　View Summary

  Most actinomycetes and fungi have a multitude of silent biosynthetic genes whose activation could lead to the production of new natural products. Our group recently designed and used a co-culture method to isolate new natural products, based on the idea that pathogens might produce immune suppressors to avoid attack by immune cells. Here, we searched for compounds produced by the co-culture of immune cells with pathogenic fungi isolated from clinical specimens. The production of dimeric naphtho-γ-pyrone aurasperone A (1) was enhanced by the co-culture of pathogenic fungus Aspergillus niger IFM 59706 and RAW264 mouse macrophage-like cells. The absolute configuration of 1 was confirmed by comparison with the reported electronic circular dichroism spectrum. This is the first report of the inhibitory activity of 1 on nitric oxide production, an inflammatory mediator.

  • Access to Document (DOI)

• Aspergillus terreus IFM 65899-THP-1 cells interaction triggers production of the natural product butyrolactone Ia, an immune suppressive compound

  Ujie Y., Saito S., Fukaya K., Urabe D., Yaguchi T., Arai M.A.

  Scientific Reports 14 ( 1 )  2024.12

  　View Summary

  We focused on the possibility that pathogenic microorganisms might produce immune suppressors to evade the action of immune cells. Based on this possibility, we have recently developed new co-culture method of pathogenic actinomyces and immune cells, however, the interaction mechanism between pathogens and cells was still unclear. In this report, co-culturing pathogenic fungi and immune cells were investigated. Pathogenic fungus Aspergillus terreus IFM 65899 and THP-1 cells were co-cultured and isolated a co-culture specific compound, butyrolactone Ia (1). 1 inhibits the production of nitric oxide by RAW264 cells and exhibits regulatory effects on autophagy, suggesting 1 plays a defensive role in the response of A. terreus IFM 65899 to immune cells. Furthermore, dialysis experiments and micrographs indicated that “physical interaction” between A. terreus IFM 65899 and THP-1 cells may be required for the production of 1. This is the first report of co-culture method of fungi with immune cells and its interaction mechanism.

  • Access to Document (DOI)

• Activation of Secondary Metabolism and Protease Activity Mechanisms in the Black Koji Mold Aspergillus luchuensis through Coculture with Animal Cells

  Asano Y., Saito S., Ujie Y., Iwata C., Yaguchi T., Arai M.A.

  ACS Omega 9 ( 42 ) 43129 - 43137 2024.10

  　View Summary

  The activation of secondary metabolism plays a pivotal role in the discovery of novel natural products. We recently developed a coculture method involving actinomycetes and mouse macrophage-like cells to stimulate the production of bioactive compounds. A black koji mold, Aspergillus luchuensis IFM 61405, markedly enhanced the production of (3S,8R)-8-hydroxy-3-carboxy-2-methylenenonanoic acid (1a), (3S,8S)-8-hydroxy-3-carboxy-2-methylenenonanoic acid (1b), and (3S)-9-hydroxy-3-carboxy-2-methylenenonanoic acid (2) when coincubated with J774.1 mouse macrophage cells. The production of 1 and 2 increased by at least 3.5-fold and 2.7-fold, respectively, compared to monoculture after 7 days. A mechanistic investigation revealed that a protease from strain IFM 61405 plays a key role in enhancing the production of 1 and 2. This enhancement was not replicated in A. niger IFM 59706, a nonkoji mold, despite the presence of biosynthetic genes for 1 and 2 in A. niger IFM 59706. Furthermore, the addition of protease inhibitors suppressed the production of 1 and 2, suggesting that proteins secreted from animal cells, likely degraded by proteases secreted by strain IFM 61405, serve as precursors for 1 and 2. The results show that the strategy of coculturing koji mold with animal cells has the potential to enhance the production of natural products.

  • Access to Document (DOI)

• 3-Hydroxy-3-(2-oxopropyl)indolin-2-one, a product of a human-derived Enterocloster strain, is an inhibitor of nitric oxide production

  Saito S., Banno T., Arai M.A.

  Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry (Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry)  88 ( 3 ) 316 - 321 2024.03

  ISSN  09168451

  　View Summary

  When cultured anaerobically, Enterocloster sp. RD014215 was found to produce 1 . Using nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spec- troscopy, the planar structure of 1 was determined to be 3-hydroxy-3-(2-oxopropyl)indolin-2-one. The chirality of 1 was implied as S by comparing the optical rotation value of 1 with literature reports of the synthesized compounds. To our knowledge, this work represents the first discovery of the metabolite produced by Enterocloster strain. 1 exhibited inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production, demonstrating a 50% inhibitory activity (IC50 ) of 34 μm for NO production by murine macrophage cells subjected to lipopolysaccharide stimulation.

  • Access to Document (DOI)

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Papers, etc., Registered in KOARA 【 Display / hide 】

Papers, etc., Registered in KOARA 【 Display / hide 】

• Chemical biology on azoxy natural products targeting cancer stem cells

  Saito, Shun

  福澤諭吉記念慶應義塾学事振興基金事業報告集 (福澤基金運営委員会)  2023

• Search for novel plant growth regulators through elucidation of the secondary metabolic capacity of unexplored rare actinomycetes

  Saito, Shun

  科学研究費補助金研究成果報告書 2022

• Analysis for secondary metabolites produced by intestinal bacteria and search for disease biomarkers

  Saito, Shun

  学事振興資金研究成果実績報告書 (慶應義塾大学)  2022

• Chemical biology study on secondary metabolites produced by human microbiome

  Saito, Shun

  学事振興資金研究成果実績報告書 (慶應義塾大学)  2021

• Search for cell function regulators from metabolites produced by gut microbiome

  Saito, Shun

  学事振興資金研究成果実績報告書 (慶應義塾大学)  2020

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Reviews, Commentaries, etc. 【 Display / hide 】

Reviews, Commentaries, etc. 【 Display / hide 】

• 天然物ケミカルバイオロジー研究の現状 –前立腺がん治療薬を例として–

  齋藤　駿, 井本　正哉

  月刊「ケミカルエンジニヤリング」 (化学工業社)  62   52 - 58 2017.10

  Joint Work, Lead author

• 新奇天然化合物ハンティング

  齋藤　駿, 井本　正哉

  月刊化学 (株式会社 化学同人)  71   68 - 69 2016.07

  Joint Work, Lead author

• 創薬を志向した天然化合物の探索研究

  齋藤　駿, 田代　悦, 井本　正哉

  化学と生物 (公益社団法人 日本農芸化学会)  52   466 - 472 2014.07

  Joint Work, Lead author

Research Projects of Competitive Funds, etc. 【 Display / hide 】

Research Projects of Competitive Funds, etc. 【 Display / hide 】

• 放線菌が生産する熱ショック代謝物（HSM）が生み出す生命力の分子機構

  2025.04

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  2027.03

  公益財団法人発酵研究所, 2025年度 若手研究者助成, No Setting, Principal investigator

• 放線菌が生産する熱ショック代謝物（HSM）の生産制御および耐熱性促進機構の解析

  2023.04

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  2026.03

  MEXT,JSPS, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists , Principal investigator

• 放線菌が生産する熱ショック代謝物 (HSM) の耐熱性促進機構の解析

  2023.04

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  2024.03

  公益財団法人 野田産業科学研究所, 奨励研究助成, Principal investigator

• 未研究希少放線菌の二次代謝能の解明を通じた新規植物生長制御物質の探索

  2020.04

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  2023.03

  MEXT,JSPS, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists , Principal investigator

Awards 【 Display / hide 】

Awards 【 Display / hide 】

• 浜田賞（研究奨励賞）

  齋藤　駿, 2025.05, 日本放線菌学会, 放線菌が生産する二次代謝産物の多様性および機能性の拡大を目指したケミカルバイオロジー研究

  Type of Award： Award from Japanese society, conference, symposium, etc.

• 2025年度大会トピックス演題

  齋藤　駿, 2025.03, 日本農芸化学会, 放線菌が生産するマクロラクタム系二次代謝物は細胞膜を安定化させ高温耐性を促進する

  Type of Award： Award from Japanese society, conference, symposium, etc.

• BCSJ Award

  齋藤　駿, 2024.09, 第66回天然有機化合物討論会, 耐熱性放線菌JA74株が生産する熱ショック代謝物（HSM）の単離・構造決定および耐熱性促進機構の解析

  Type of Award： Award from Japanese society, conference, symposium, etc.

• 令和5年度生薬天然物部会奨励研究

  2023.10, 日本薬学会 生薬天然物部会

  Type of Award： Award from Japanese society, conference, symposium, etc.

• 2021 JA Ōmura Awards

  2022.12, The Journal of Antibiotics

  Type of Award： Honored in official journal of a scientific society, scientific journal

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Courses Taught 【 Display / hide 】

Courses Taught 【 Display / hide 】

• TOPICS IN BIOSCIENCES AND INFORMATICS 2

  2025

• SEMINAR IN BIOSCIENCES AND INFORMATICS

  2025

• LABORATORIES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

  2025

• INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGY TODAY

  2025

• BASIC LABORATORY COURSE IN BIOSCIENCES

  2025

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Courses Previously Taught 【 Display / hide 】

Courses Previously Taught 【 Display / hide 】

• 生命情報特別講義第2

  慶應義塾大学

  2020.04

  -

  Present

  , 

  Spring Semester, Lecture