Low protein adaptation of humans

• Project/Area Number: 15H04430
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied anthropology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Umezaki Masahiro 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科(医学部), 教授 (30292725)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 須田 亙 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 統合生命医科学研究センター, 研究員 (20590847) ; 平山 和宏 東京大学, 大学院農学生命科学研究科(農学部), 准教授 (60208858) ; 冨塚 江利子 新潟薬科大学, 薬学部, 助教 (90313098)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2017)
• Budget Amount: ¥15,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥11,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥3,510,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥4,420,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,020,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥6,370,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,470,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥4,420,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,020,000)
• Keywords: 低タンパク適応 / パプアニューギニア / 腸内細菌 / 栄養適応

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The inconsistency between Papua New Guinea Highlanders' protein-deficient diet and their muscular physique is well known. Moreover, although their protein intake is less than biologically adequate, protein-deficiency related disorders have rarely been reported in this setting. We have speculated that the populace have adapted to a low-protein diet by utilizing air nitrogen fixed by intestinal bacteria and/or by intensive "recycling" of urea that passes into the gastrointestinal tract. The recent emergence of genome science have enabled us to examine the unsolved question of Papua New Guinea Highlanders' adaptation to a low protein diet in more direct way. In our project, we evaluated gut microbiota for individuals in four Papua New Guinea communities subject to different degrees of protein deficiency. Animal experiments were also conducted. Association of gut microbiota and variation of protein intake and nutritional biomarkers were investigated.

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] パプアニューギニア医学研究所(パプアニューギニア)
• [Int'l Joint Research] PNG Institute of Medical Research/National Research Institute(Papua New Guinea)
• [Int'l Joint Research] Federation University(Australia)
• [Journal Article] A high burden of asymptomatic gastrointestinal infections in traditional communities in Papua New Guinea. (2018)
  • Author(s): Horwood P, Soli KW, Maure T, Naito YI, Morita A, Natsuhara K, Tadokoro K, Baba J, Odani S, Tomitsuka E, Igai K, Larkins JA, Siba PM, McBryde E, Umezaki M, Greenhill AR.
  • Journal Title: American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Volume: 印刷中
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Profiling of faecal water and urine metabolites among Papua New Guinea highlanders believed to be adapted to low protein intake. (2017)
  • Author(s): Tomitsuka E, Igai K, Tadokoro K, Morita A, Baba J, Suda W, Greenhill AR, Horwood PF, Soli KW, Siba PM, Odani S, Natsuhara K, Morita H, Umezaki M.
  • Journal Title: Metabolomics. Volume: 13 Pages: 105-105
  • DOI: 10.1007/s11306-017-1243-6
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Nitrogen fixation and nifH diversity in human gut microbiota. (2016)
  • Author(s): Igai, K., M. Itakura, S. Nishijima, H. Tsurumaru, W. Suda, T. Tsutaya, E. Tomitsuka, K. Tadokoro, J. Baba, S. Odani, K. Natsuhara, A. Morita, M. Yoneda, A. R. Greenhill, P. F. Horwood, J. Inoue, M. Ohkuma, Y. Hongoh, T. Yamamoto, P. M. Siba, M. Hattori, K. Minamisawa, M. Umezaki
  • Journal Title: Scientific Reports Volume: 6 Pages: 1-11
  • DOI: 10.1038/srep31942
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Reduced morning cortisol level in saliva associated with obesity: Evidence from community-dwelling adults in Papua New Guinea (2016)
  • Author(s): Morita A, Natsuhara K, Vengiau G, Chen CCJ, Odani S, Inaoka T, Tadokoro K, Suda K, Furusawa T, Siba P, Phuanukoonnon S, Umezaki M.
  • Journal Title: American Journal of Human Biology Volume: . Pages: 587-590
  • DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.22823
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Association between sex inequality in animal protein intake and economic development in the Papua New Guinea Highlands: the carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of scalp hair and fingernail. (2016)
  • Author(s): Umezaki M, Naito IY, Tsutaya T, Baba J, Tadokoro K, Odani S, Morita A, Natsuhara K, Phuanukoonnon S, Vengiau G, Siba MP, Yoneda M.
  • Journal Title: American Journal of Physical Anthropology Volume: 159 Pages: 164-173
  • DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22844
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Association of protein intakes and variation of diet-scalp hair nitrogen isotopic discrimination factor in Papua New Guinea Highlanders. (2015)
  • Author(s): Naito Y, Morita A, Natsuhara K, Tadokoro K, Baba J, Odani S, Tomitsuka E, Igai K, Tsutaya T, Yoneda M, Greenhill A, Horwood P, Kevin S, Phuanukoonnon S, Siba P, Umezaki M.
  • Journal Title: American Journal of Physical Anthropology Volume: 158 Pages: 359-370
  • DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22798
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Characterization of the gut microbiota of Papua New Guineans using reverse transcription quantitative PCR. (2015)
  • Author(s): Greenhill AR., Tsuji H., Ogata K., Natsuhara K., Morita A., Soli K., Larkins
  • Journal Title: PLOS ONE Volume: 10(2) Pages: 0-0
  • DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117427
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Development, validation, and use of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire for assessing protein intake in Papua New Guinean Highlanders. (2015)
  • Author(s): Morita, A., Natsuhara, K., Tomitsuka, E., Odani, S., Baba, J., Tadokoro, K.,
  • Journal Title: American Journal of Human Biology Volume: 27 Pages: 21-23
  • DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.22647
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Presentation] 「低タンパク適応」における腸内細菌叢の役割 (2017)
  • Author(s): 増岡弘晃, 梅崎昌裕, 須田亙, 冨塚江利子, 山田章雄, 平山和宏
  • Organizer: 第21回日本腸内細菌学会
• [Presentation] Adaptation to low-protein diet induced by transplantation of human microbiota in germfree mice. (2017)
  • Author(s): Masuoka H, Umezaki M, Suda W, Tomitsuka E, Yamada A, Hirayama K.
  • Organizer: The 19th International Symposium on Gnotobiology
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] パプアニューギニア高地人の低タンパク適応と腸内細菌叢 (2016)
  • Author(s): 梅崎昌裕
  • Organizer: 第38回日本臨床栄養学会総会
• [Presentation] 腸内細菌による宿主代謝変化の解析－低タンパク適応機構の解明 (2016)
  • Author(s): 冨塚 江利子, 増岡 弘晃, 須田 亙, 猪飼 桂, 田所 聖志, 馬場 淳, 森田 彩子, 内藤 裕一, Paul Horwood, Andrew Greenhill, Peter Siba, 小谷 真吾, 夏原 和美, 服部 正平, 森田 英利, 平山 和宏, 梅崎 昌裕．
  • Organizer: 第39回日本分子生物学会年会
• [Presentation] Nutritional Adaptation Studies in Papua New Guinea Highlands. (2016)
  • Author(s): Umezaki M
  • Organizer: The 11th International Conference of the Society of Human Ecology (Santa Ana, California)
• [Remarks] 低タンパク食地域における腸内細菌の栄養機能の解明 プロジェクト
  • URL: http://www.humeco.m.u-tokyo.ac.jp/individuals/umezaki/PNG_project/index.html