Selected publication
Sexually dimorphic gastrin releasing peptide system in the spinal cord controls male reproductive functions. H. Sakamoto*, K.-I. Matsuda, D.G. Zuloaga, H. Hongu, E. Wada, K. Wada, C.L. Jordan, S.M. Breedlove, and M. Kawata. Nature Neuroscience 11, 634–636 (2008). *Corresponding author.
In vivo imaging of axonal transport of mitochondria in the diseased and aged mammalian CNS. Y. Takihara, M. Inatani*, K. Eto, T. Inoue, A. Kreymerman, S. Miyake, S. Ueno, M. Nagaya, A. Nakanishi, K. Iwao, Y. Takamura, H. Sakamoto, K. Satoh, M. Kondo, T. Sakamoto, J.L. Goldberg, J. Nabekura, and H. Tanihara. PNAS 112, 10515-10520 (2015).
Activation of supraoptic oxytocin neurons by secretin facilitates social recognition. Y. Takayanagi, M. Yoshida, A. Takashima, K. Takanami, S. Yoshida, K. Nishimori, I. Nishijima, H. Sakamoto, T. Yamagata, and T. Onaka*. Biological Psychiatry 81, 243-251 (2017).
Nemertean and phoronid genomes reveal lophotrochozoan evolution and the origin of bilaterian heads. Y.J. Luo, M*. Kanda, R. Koyanagi, K. Hisata, T. Akiyama, H. Sakamoto, T. Sakamoto, and N. Satoh*. Nature Ecology & Evolution 2, 141-151 (2018).
Spinal astrocytes in superficial laminae gate brainstem descending control of mechanosensory hypersensitivity. Y. Kohro, T. Matsuda, K. Yoshihara, K. Kohno, K. Koga, R. Katsuragi, T. Oka, R. Tashima, S. Muneta, T. Yamane, S. Okada, K. Momokino, A. Furusho, K. Hamase, T. Oti, H. Sakamoto, K. Hayashida, R. Kobayashi, T. Horii, I. Hatada, H. Tozaki-Saitoh, K. Mikoshiba, V. Taylor, K. Inoue, and M. Tsuda*. Nature Neuroscience 23, 1376-1387 (2020).
Oxytocin influences male sexual activity via non-synaptic axonal release in the spinal cord. T. Oti, K. Satoh, D. Uta, J. Nagafuchi, S. Tateishi, R. Ueda, K. Takanami, L.J. Young, A. Galione, J.F. Morris, T. Sakamoto, and H. Sakamoto*. Current Biology 31,103-114 (2021). *Corresponding author.
Estrogens influence female itch sensitivity via the spinal gastrin-releasing peptide system. K. Takanami*, D. Uta, K.I. Matsuda, M. Kawata, E. Carstens, T. Sakamoto, and H. Sakamoto. PNAS 118, e2103536118, 1–8 (2021).
Neuronal pentraxin 2 is required for facilitating excitatory synaptic inputs onto spinal itch-transmission neurons under chronic itch conditions. K. Kanehisa, K. Koga, S. Maejima, Y. Shiraishi, K. Asai, M. Shiratori-Hayashi, M.-F. Xiao, H. Sakamoto, P.F. Worley, and M. Tsuda*. Nature Communications 13,2367, 1-11 (2022).
Vasopressin–oxytocin-type signaling is ancient and has a conserved water homeostasis role in euryhaline marine planarians. A. Kobayashi, M. Hamada, M. Yoshida, Y. Kobayashi, N. Tsutsui, T. Sekiguchi, Y. Matsukawa, S. Maejima, J.J. Gingell, S. Sekiguchi, A. Hamamoto, D.L. Hay, J.F. Morris, T. Sakamoto, and H. Sakamoto*. Science Advances 8, 9, eabk0331, 1-9 (2022). *Corresponding author.
A spinal microglia population involved in remitting and relapsing neuropathic pain. K. Kohno, R. Shirasaka, K. Yoshihara, S. Mikuriya, K. Tanaka, K. Takanami, K. Inoue, H. Sakamoto, Y. Ohkawa, T. Masuda, and M. Tsuda*. Science 376, 6588, 86-90 (2022).
Endolysosomal two-pore channels (TPC) regulate social behavior by controlling oxytocin secretion. L.L. Martucci, J.-M. Launay, N. Kawakami, C. Sicard, N. Desvignes, M. Dakouane-Giudicelli, B. Spix, M. Têtu, F.-O. Gilmaire, S. Paulcan, J. Callebert, C. Vaillend, F. Bracher, C. Grimm, P. Fossier, S. de la Porte, H. Sakamoto, J.F. Morris, A. Galione, S. Granon, and J.-M. Cancela*, PNAS 120, e2213682120, 1-12 (2023).
Evolutionary differentiation of androgen receptor is responsible for sexual characteristic development in a teleost fish. Y. Ogino*, S. Ansai, E. Watanabe, M. Yasugi, Y. Katayama, H. Sakamoto, K. Okamoto, K. Okubo, Y. Yamamoto, I. Hara, T. Yamazaki, A. Kato, Y. Kamei, K. Naruse, K. Ohta, H. Ogino, T. Sakamoto, S. Miyagawa, T. Sato, G. Yamada, M.E. Baker, T. Iguchi. Nature Communications 14, 1428, 1-16 (2023).
Keratinocyte-driven dermal collagen formation in the axolotl skin. A. Ohashi, H. Sakamoto, J. Kuroda, Y. Kondo, Y. Kamei, S. Nonaka, S. Furukawa, S. Yamamoto, A. Satoh. Nature Communications 16(1), 1757 (2025).
Oxytocin facilitates human touch-induced play behavior in rats. H. Hayashi, S. Tateishi, A. Inutsuka, S. Maejima, D. Hagiwara, Y. Sakuma, T. Onaka, V. Grinevich, H. Sakamoto*. Current Biology 35(12), 2916-2926.e3 (2025). *Corresponding author.
Oxytocin facilitates human touch-induced play behavior in rats. H. Hayashi, S. Tateishi, A. Inutsuka, S. Maejima, D. Hagiwara, Y. Sakuma, T. Onaka, V. Grinevich, H. Sakamoto*. Current Biology 35(12), 2916-2926.e3 (2025). *Corresponding author.
Sexual activity is predicted by digit ratio in rats. H. Hayashi, H. Sakamoto*. Experimental Animals 74(4):452-456 (2025). *Corresponding author.
Keratinocyte-driven dermal collagen formation in the axolotl skin. A. Ohashi, H. Sakamoto, J. Kuroda, Y. Kondo, Y. Kamei, S. Nonaka, S. Furukawa, S. Yamamoto, A. Satoh. Nature Communications 16(1), 1757 (2025).
Dual-action intranasal oxytocin enhances both male sexual performance and fertility in rats. C. Enomoto. T. Oti, T. Yamanaka, M. Shimada, H. Sakamoto*. Journal of Sexual Medicine 22(11):1923-1925 (2025) *Corresponding author.
最前線「魚類と哺乳類における痒み研究」. 坂本浩隆，高浪景子. ファルマシア61巻01号: 50-54 (2025).
「オキシトシンが紡ぐヒトと動物の絆」. 林 姫花, 坂本浩隆. 科学95巻12号: 1016-1020 (2025).
The membrane-targeted palGFP predominantly localizes to the plasma membrane, but not to the neurosecretory vesicle membrane in rat oxytocin neurons. H. Sakamoto*, A. Inutsuka. Acta Histochemica et Cytochemica 57(2): 85-88 (2024). *Corresponding author.
Volume X-ray micro-computed tomography analysis of the early cephalized central nervous system in a marine flatworm, Stylochoplana pusilla. T. Ikenaga, A. Kobayashi, A. Takeuchi, K. Uesugi, T. Maezawa, N. Shibata, T. Sakamoto, H. Sakamoto*. Zoological Science 41(3): 281-289 (2024). *Corresponding author, Cover photo.
Model systems for discovering evolutionary singularity of bilaterian physiological regulation: lessons from studies on simple/primitive flatworms. S. Mori*, A. Kobayashi, H. Sakamoto, M. Hamada, T. Sakamoto, R. Nakamura. Biophysics and Physicobiology 21, e211012 (2024).
Endolysosomal two-pore channels (TPC) regulate social behavior by controlling oxytocin secretion. L.L. Martucci, J.-M. Launay, N. Kawakami, C. Sicard, N. Desvignes, M. Dakouane-Giudicelli, B. Spix, M. Têtu, F.-O. Gilmaire, S. Paulcan, J. Callebert, C. Vaillend, F. Bracher, C. Grimm, P. Fossier, S. de la Porte, H. Sakamoto, J.F. Morris, A. Galione, S. Granon, and J.-M. Cancela*, PNAS 120, e2213682120, 1-12 (2023).
Evolutionary differentiation of androgen receptor is responsible for sexual characteristic development in a teleost fish. Y. Ogino*, S. Ansai, E. Watanabe, M. Yasugi, Y. Katayama, H. Sakamoto, K. Okamoto, K. Okubo, Y. Yamamoto, I. Hara, T. Yamazaki, A. Kato, Y. Kamei, K. Naruse, K. Ohta, H. Ogino, T. Sakamoto, S. Miyagawa, T. Sato, G. Yamada, M.E. Baker, T. Iguchi. Nature Communications 14, 1428, 1-16 (2023).
Aquaporin regulates cell rounding through vacuole formation during endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition. Y. Sato*, M. Shigematsu, S. Maejima, C. Tamura, M. Shibata, H. Sakamoto. Development 150(11):dev201275. 1-16 (2023).
Function of gastrin-releasing peptide receptors in ocular itch transmission in the mice trigeminal sensory system. K. Takanami*, M. Kuroiwa, R. Ishikawa, Y. Imai, A. Oishi, Y. Shimoda, H. Sakamoto, T. Koide. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience 16:1280024. 1-15 (2023).
Neuropeptidergic control circuits in the spinal cord for male sexual behaviour: oxytocin–gastrin-releasing peptide systems. T. Oti, H. Sakamoto*. Journal of Neuroendocrinology (Review) 35(9):e13324. 1-9 (2023). *Corresponding author.
Chronic corticosterone exposure evokes itch hypersensitivity and sexual dysfunction in male rats: Relationship between the two distinct gastrin-releasing peptide systems in the spinal cord. K. Takanami*, M. Morishita, T. Sakamoto, H. Sakamoto. General and Comparative Endocrinology 339:114289. 1-13 (2023).
Amyloid deposition through endocytosis in vascular endothelial cells. S. Nishikage, A. Fujisawa, H. Endoh, H. Sakamoto, T. Suzuki, M. Kanzawa, S. Ishii, M. Okano, E. Nitta, K. Yakushijin, H. Asakura, K. Nozu, R. Nitta, Y. Katayama*, K. Sakaguchi*. Experimental Hematology 129:104129. 1-5 (2023).
A regulatory mechanism of mouse kallikrein 1 gene expression by estrogen. T. Iwasaki, M. Tokumori, M. Matsubara, F. Ojima, K. Kamigochi, S. Aizawa, M. Ogoshi, A.P. Kimura, S. Takeuchi, S. Takahashi*. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology 577 112044-112044 (2023).
A spinal microglia population involved in remitting and relapsing neuropathic pain. K. Kohno, R. Shirasaka, K. Yoshihara, S. Mikuriya, K. Tanaka, K. Takanami, K. Inoue, H. Sakamoto, Y. Ohkawa, T. Masuda, and M. Tsuda*. Science 376, 6588, 86-90 (2022).
Vasopressin–oxytocin-type signaling is ancient and has a conserved water homeostasis role in euryhaline marine planarians. A Kobayashi, M Hamada, M Yoshida, Y Kobayashi, N Tsutsui, T Sekiguchi, Y Matsukawa, S Maejima, J.J. Gingell, S. Sekiguchi, A. Hamamoto, D.L. Hay, J.F. Morris, T. Sakamoto, and H. Sakamoto*. Science Advances 8, 9, eabk0331, 1-9 (2022). *Corresponding author.
Neuronal pentraxin 2 is required for facilitating excitatory synaptic inputs onto spinal itch-transmission neurons under chronic itch conditions. K. Kanehisa, K. Koga, S. Maejima, Y. Shiraishi, K. Asai, M. Shiratori-Hayashi, M.-F. Xiao, H. Sakamoto, P.F. Worley, and M. Tsuda*. Nature Communications 13,2367, 1-11 (2022).
Footedness for scratching itchy eyes in rodents. Y. Katayama†, A. Miura†, T. Sakamoto, K. Takanami*, H. Sakamoto*. Proc Roy Soc B, Biol Sci 289(1985): 20221126, 1-9 (2022). †Equal contribution, *Corresponding author.
Nanobody-based RFP-dependent Cre recombinase for selective anterograde tracing in RFP-expressing transgenic animals. A. Inutsuka*, S. Maejima, H. Mizoguchi, R. Kaneko, R. Nomura, K. Takanami, H. Sakamoto, T. Onaka*. Communications Biology 5(1): 979, 1-13 (2022).
Characterization of the expression of gastrin-releasing peptide and its receptor in the trigeminal and spinal somatosensory systems of Japanese macaque monkeys: Insight into humans. K. Takanami*, T. Oti, Y. Kobayashi, K. Hasegawa, T. Ito, N. Tsutsui, Y. Ueda, E. Carstens, T. Sakamoto, H. Sakamoto. The Journal of Comparative Neurology 530(16): 2804-2819 (2022).
Spinal transection switches the effect of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 7 from the facilitation to inhibition of ejaculation. M. Masugi-Tokita, K. Tomita, K. Kobayashi, T. Yoshida, S. Kageyama, H. Sakamoto, A. Kawauchi. Neuroscience 509: 10-19 (2022).
Effect of the first mating experience on mating behaviors and brain gene expression in male medaka. M. Daimon, T. Katsumura, H. Sakamoto, S. Ansai, H. Takeuchi*. Scientific Reports 12(1): 19665, 1-8 (2022).
Lattice-patterned collagen fibers in the dermis and their dynamics in axolotl skin regeneration. R. Kashimoto, S. Yamamoto, S. Furukawa, Y. Kamei, J. Sakamoto, S. Nonaka, T. Watanabe, T. Sakamoto, H. Sakamoto, and A. Satoh*. iScience 25, 104524 1-17 (2022).
Unique osmoregulatory behaviors against peripheral drying in the amphibious fish. Y. Katayama*, T. Tsukada, S. Hyodo, H. Sakamoto, T. Sakamoto. PLoS ONE 17(12): e0277968, 1-14 (2022).
Gene duplication of C-type natriuretic peptide-4 (CNP4) in teleost lineage elicits subfunctionalization of ancestral CNP. Y. Katayama, A. Saito, M. Ogoshi, Y. Tsuneoka, T. Mukuda, M. Azuma, M. Kusakabe, Y. Takei, T. Tsukada*. Cell and Tissue Research 388(2) 225-238 (2022).
Oxytocin influences male sexual activity via non-synaptic axonal release in the spinal cord. T. Oti, K. Satoh, D. Uta, J. Nagafuchi, S. Tateishi, R. Ueda, K. Takanami, L.J. Young, A. Galione, J.F. Morris, T. Sakamoto, H. Sakamoto*. Current Biology 31, 103-114 (2021). *Corresponding author.
Estrogens influence female itch sensitivity via the spinal gastrin-releasing peptide system. K. Takanami*, D. Uta, K.I. Matsuda, M. Kawata, E. Carstens, T. Sakamoto, H. Sakamoto, PNAS 118, e2103536118, 1–8 (2021).
Sexual experience induces the expression of gastrin-releasing peptide and oxytocin receptors in the spinal ejaculation generator in rats. T. Oti*, R. Ueda, R. Kumagai, J. Nagafuchi, T. Ito, T. Sakamoto, Y. Kondo, H. Sakamoto*, Int. J. Mol. Sci. 22, 10362, 1-15 (2021). *Corresponding author.
The gastrin-releasing peptide/bombesin system revisited by a reverse-evolutionary study considering Xenopus. A. Hirooka†, M. Hamada†, D. Fujiyama, K. Takanami, Y. Kobayashi, T. Oti, Y. Katayama, T. Sakamoto, H. Sakamoto*, Scientific Reports 11,13315, 1-15 (2021). †Equal contribution, *Corresponding author.
Variation of pro-vasopressin processing in parvocellular and magnocellular neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus: Evidence from the vasopressin-related glycopeptide copeptin. N. Kawakami†, A. Otubo†, S. Maejima, A.H. Talukder, K. Satoh, T. Oti, K. Takanami, Y. Ueda, K. Itoi, J.F. Morris, T. Sakamoto, H. Sakamoto*. The Journal of Comparative Neurology 529, 1372-1390 (2021). †Equal contribution, *Corresponding author.
In vivo electrophysiology of peptidergic neurons in deep layers of the lumbar spinal cord after optogenetic stimulation of hypothalamic paraventricular oxytocin neurons in rats. D. Uta*, T. Oti, T. Sakamoto, H. Sakamoto*. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 22, 3400, 1-12 (2021). *Corresponding author.
Systemic effects of oxytocin on male sexual activity via the spinal ejaculation generator in rats. T. Oti, T. Sakamoto, H. Sakamoto*. Communicative & Integrative Biology 14, 55-60 (2021). *Corresponding author.
Immunoelectron microscopic characterization of vasopressin-producing neurons in the hypothalamo-pituitary axis of non-human primates by use of formaldehyde-fixed tissues stored at –25ºC for several years. A. Otubo, S. Maejima, T. Oti, K. Satoh, Y. Ueda, J.F. Morris, T. Sakamoto, H. Sakamoto*, Int. J. Mol. Sci. 22, 9180, 1-23 (2021). *Corresponding author.
Adrenomedullin 2 and 5 activate the calcitonin receptor-like receptor (clr) - Receptor activity-modifying protein 3 (ramp3) receptor complex in Xenopus tropicalis. M. Ogoshi*, M. Takahashi, K. Aoyagi, K. Ukena, S. Aizawa, H. Takeuchi, S. Takahashi, S. Takeuchi, Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 306, 113752-113752 (2021). *Corresponding author.