Food functional research for human application of cancer inhibitory ingredients contained in heirloom vegetables in Kyoto

• Project/Area Number: 19H01610
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 08030:Family and consumer sciences, and culture and living-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: NAKAMURA YASUSHI 京都府立大学, 文学部, 教授 (90285247)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 今井 俊夫 国立研究開発法人国立がん研究センター, 研究所, 施設長 (20342884) ; 岡本 繁久 鹿児島大学, 農水産獣医学域農学系, 准教授 (30211808) ; 佐々木 梓沙 京都府立大学, 生命環境科学研究科, 助手 (90761966)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2022)
• Budget Amount: ¥17,030,000 (Direct Cost: ¥13,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥3,930,000); Fiscal Year 2022: ¥2,730,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥630,000); Fiscal Year 2021: ¥2,730,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥630,000); Fiscal Year 2020: ¥4,810,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,110,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥6,760,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,560,000)
• Keywords: 食品機能性 / 京野菜 / 桂ウリ / 含硫化合物 / 乳がん / 大腸がん / 食品科学 / 伝統品種 / 発がん抑制 / 遺伝子サイレンシング / がん予防 / DNAメチル化 / 和食材 / 発がん予防 / メチル化 / MTA / MTAE / MTPE / 和食文化 / がん

Outline of Research at the Start

本研究は，ヒトが京野菜の桂ウリを食べたときに胃内で生成するメチルチオ酢酸（MTA）がもつ「発がん予防効果と治療効果」という魅力ある特性を桂ウリに付与し，「MTAのシトシンメチル化供与体としての遺伝子サイレンシング」を学術的な話題として発信し，桂ウリの食品機能性の基礎データを構築して，桂ウリの新たな需要創出にも活用することで，日本人の健康増進に寄与するだけでなく，桂ウリを絶滅の危惧から救う社会貢献につなげ，和食文化継承の一助とすることを目的としている．

Outline of Final Research Achievements

MTAE, a fragrant component of Katsura-uri (heirloom vegetables in Kyoto), undergoes a chemical change in our body and is converted into MTA, which exhibits cancer chemopreventive effect. We focused on MTA and performed carcinogenesis inhibition test using animals and molecular biological test using human colon cancer cells. From this study, we obtained data suggesting that the cancer chemopreventive effect of MTA differs depending on the mode of carcinogenesis and organs, and that it suppresses the expression of multiple genes involved in carcinogenesis.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

超長寿社会となった国で直面している世界的な課題であるがんについて，本研究を実施することで，日本の伝統野菜のひとつである京野菜の桂ウリに含まれる香りの成分がもつ発がん抑制の効果としくみを明らかにする手がかりを得ました．将来，本研究の成果を発展させれば，超長寿社会の国において健康寿命を延伸する和食材のひとつである桂ウリを活用したり，発がん抑制のしくみを利用した新たな薬品開発の指標に活用したりする応用が期待できます．

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] Mahidol University/King Mongkut’s University of Technology(タイ)
• [Int'l Joint Research] Hanoi Medical University(ベトナム)
• [Int'l Joint Research] Mahidol University(タイ)
• [Int'l Joint Research] Hanoi Medical University(ベトナム)
• [Journal Article] Methylthioacetic acid, a derivative of aroma compounds from <i>Cucumis melo</i> var. <i>conomon</i> dose-dependently triggers differentiation and apoptosis of RCM-1 human colorectal cancer cells (2023)
  • Author(s): Kamimura Miyu、Sasaki Azusa、Otani Yui、Nakamura Yasushi、Nakamura Takako、Kuramochi Kouji、Imai Toshio、Kubo Nakao、Okamoto Shigehisa
  • Journal Title: The Journal of Toxicological Sciences Volume: 48 Issue: 1 Pages: 25-35
  • DOI: 10.2131/jts.48.25
  • ISSN: 0388-1350, 1880-3989
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Contribution of <i>Katsura-uri</i> (Japan’s Heirloom Pickling Melon, <i>Cucumis melo</i> var. <i>conomon</i>) at the Completely Ripe Stage to Diabetes Control (2020)
  • Author(s): SASAKI Azusa、NAKAMURA Yasushi、KOBAYASHI Yukiko、AOI Wataru、NAKAMURA Takako、SHIROTA Koji、SUETOME Noboru、FUKUI Michiaki、MATSUO Tomoaki、OKAMOTO Shigehisa、TASHIRO Yuri、PARK Eun Young、SATO Kenji
  • Journal Title: Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology Volume: 66 Issue: 3 Pages: 261-269
  • DOI: 10.3177/jnsv.66.261
  • NAID: 130007866416
  • ISSN: 0301-4800, 1881-7742
  • Year and Date: 2020-06-30
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Chemical and molecular bases of dome formation in human colorectal cancer cells mediated by sulphur compounds from Cucumis melo var. conomon (2020)
  • Author(s): Kamimura Miyu、Sasaki Azusa、Watanabe Shimpei、Tanaka Shiho、Fukukawa Akiko、Takeda Kazuya、Nakamura Yasushi、Nakamura Takako、Kuramochi Kouji、Otani Yui、Hashimoto Fumio、Ishimaru Kanji、Matsuo Tomoaki、Okamoto Shigehisa
  • Journal Title: FEBS Open Bio Volume: 10 Issue: 12 Pages: 2640-2655
  • DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13001
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Presentation] 悪性腫瘍皮下移植マウスにおけるメチルチオ酢酸の腫瘍増殖抑制効果 (2022)
  • Author(s): 野木千陽，佐々木梓沙，田代有里，中村考志，岡本繁久，今井俊夫
  • Organizer: がん予防学会
• [Presentation] Contribution of the fruits having fruity fragrance and low-sugar content to diabetes control (2019)
  • Author(s): Azusa Sasaki
  • Organizer: The 5th Joint Symposium by Seven Universities in Thailand and Japan “Basic and Applied Studies of Plant Natural Products for Agriculture and Human Health”
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] The two key regulators of cell division cycle, CDC25A and Cyclin E2 are closely associated with MTA-mediated duct formation (2019)
  • Author(s): Miyu Kamimura
  • Organizer: The 5th Joint Symposium by Seven Universities in Thailand and Japan “Basic and Applied Studies of Plant Natural Products for Agriculture and Human Health”
  • Int'l Joint Research