Association between gut microbiota and lifestyle / lifestyle-related factors in a general population

• Project/Area Number: 17K09099
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Epidemiology and preventive medicine
• Research Institution: Hirosaki University
• Principal Investigator: Tokuda Itoyo 弘前大学, 医学研究科, 助教 (90792391)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 中路 重之 弘前大学, 医学研究科, 特任教授 (10192220) ; 倉内 静香 青森県立保健大学, 健康科学部, 講師 (60455730) ; 沢田 かほり 弘前大学, 医学研究科, 助教 (50624889) ; 相馬 優樹 弘前大学, 医学研究科, 助教 (60792372) ; 村下 公一 弘前大学, COI研究推進機構, 教授 (80794601)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,550,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,050,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥390,000 (Direct Cost: ¥300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥90,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥3,120,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥720,000)
• Keywords: 岩木健康増進プロジェクト / 腸内細菌叢 / 腹腔内脂肪 / 動脈硬化関連項目 / 食事習慣 / 生活習慣病 / 生活習慣 / 腸内細菌叢機能 / 岩木プロジェクト健診 / 社会医学 / 栄養学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The association between lifestyle/lifestyle-related factors and gut microbiota were studied in a general population. The results were as follows. At the gate level, Firmicutes phylum was low and Bacteroidetes phylum was high in men with high visceral fat area (VFA). In women with high VFA, Firmicutes phylum was high, and Bacteroidetes phylum and Actinobacteria phylum were low. At the genus level, a negative correlation was found between VFA and Blautiagenus genus / Bifidobacterium genus. On the other hand, regarding gut microbiota, arteriosclerosis-related items, and nutrient intake, A positive correlation was found between Firmicutes phylum and protein intake and total dietary fiber intake, while a negative correlation was found between Firmicutes phylum and blood glucose and alcohol intake. A positive correlation was found between Bacteroidetes phylum and alcohol intake.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

Blautia属は腸内に多く存在する細菌であり、体内で肥満を解消するはたらきがある酪酸や酢酸をつくり出すほか、糖尿病、肝硬変、大腸がん、関節リウマチの患者で減少していることが報告されている。今回、Blautia属と腹腔内脂肪面積とに負相関がみられ、上記疾患改善や肥満、糖尿病の新たな指標となる可能性が示唆された。
これまでの研究より、肥満症患者などでFirmicutes門の増加、Bacteroidetes門の減少が報告されているが、本研究では体重、BMIとの相関はみられなかった。しかし、Firmicutes門、Bacteroidetes門がアルコール摂取と関連し肥満に関与する可能性が考えられた。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Blautia genus associated with visceral fat accumulation in adults 20-76 years of age. (2019)
  • Author(s): Ozato N, Saito S, Yamaguchi T, Katashima M, Tokuda I, Sawada K, Katsuragi Y, Kakuta M, Imoto S, Ihara K, Nakaji S
  • Journal Title: NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes. Volume: 5:28 Issue: 1 Pages: 1-9
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41522-019-0101-x
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Presentation] A microbial genus in the human gut associated with visceral fat regardless of sex (2019)
  • Author(s): Naoki Ozato, Shinichiro Saito, Tohru Yamaguchi, Mitsuhiro Katashima, Itoyo Tokuda, Kaori Sawada, Yoshihisa Katsuragi, Masanori Kakuta, Seiya Imoto, Kazushige Ihara, Shigeyuki Nakaji
  • Organizer: 26th European Congress on Obesity
  • Int'l Joint Research