Study for novel function of branched-chain amino acids

• Project/Area Number: 15K18696
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Food science
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Kadota Yoshihiro 名古屋大学, 生命農学研究科, 研究員 (10724776)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2016)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000)
• Keywords: 分岐鎖アミノ酸 / 分岐鎖アミノ酸分解系 / 脂肪組織 / コンディショナルノックアウトマウス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The catabolism of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) is regulated by the mitochondrial branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase kinase (BDK). In this study, we generated adipose tissue-specific BDK deficient mice (BDK-aKO mice) and investigated its characteristics. BCAAs were lower in white adipose tissues and brown adipose tissue as well as in plasma of BDK-aKO mice compared to control mice. Moreover we revealed that cold exposure-induced mRNA expression of PGC-1α in brown adipose tissue was increased in BDK-aKO mice.
These results suggested that BCAA catabolism in adipose tissues affected BCAA levels in whole body and energy consumption in brown adipose tissue.