Dose fructose intake promote the development of NAFLD?

• Project/Area Number: 17K18034
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Eating habits; Gastroenterology
• Research Institution: Hirosaki University (2018); Prefectural University of Kumamoto (2017)
• Principal Investigator: Ryoko Yamamoto 弘前大学, 農学生命科学部, 助教 (50580429)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥2,340,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥540,000)
• Keywords: NAFLD / NASH / フルクトース / AGEs

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To clarify the relationship between fructose intake and the onset of NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), 10% or 30% fructose water were administered in mice for 24 weeks. As a result, fructose did not directly promote the onset of NAFLD in mice, because that of NAFLD was also confirmed in the control group. However, 30% fructose drank mice were increased liver weight and liver AGEs (advanced glycation end products). Hence, fructose intake for a long time might promote the onset of NAFLD.
The results of this study suggested that fructose dose not directly trigger NAFLD under conditions where there is no difference in total energy intake between the control group and fructose drank group. It might be necessary to first consider energy intake for prevention of NAFLD rather than specific food ingredients as fructose.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

NAFLD患者は世界的にも増加が問題となっており，急速な病態解明と予防・治療法の確立が求められている。現在，NAFLDの有効な治療薬は見つかっておらず，治療方針の第一選択は食生活の改善である。このように食生活との関連が深いNAFLDにおいて，フルクトースと病態発症に着目した本研究は学術的にも社会的にも重要な研究である。本研究では，ヒトの日常的な摂取量を想定してマウスへの投与量を決定しており，疾患に対する食品のリスクを過大評価することなく，ヒト食生活の実践に即した科学的根拠の蓄積への貢献することを目的としており社会的意義は高いと考えられる。