Roles of phytochemicals and gut microbiota in "health transition" of contemporary humans

• Project/Area Number: 20K21443
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 45:Biology at organismal to population levels and anthropology, and related fields
• 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)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2023-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2022)
• Budget Amount: ¥5,590,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,290,000); Fiscal Year 2021: ¥3,770,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥870,000); Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
• Keywords: ファイトケミカル / 非感染性疾患 / 健康転換 / 東南アジア / 栄養転換 / 腸内細菌 / ラオス / 少数民族

Outline of Research at the Start

本研究課題は、エネルギー密度の高い食品の過剰摂取と身体活動の不足という現象が観察されないにもかかわらず、非感染性疾患の有病率が急速に増加するという、いわゆる途上国の「辺縁地域」で顕在化する健康問題のメカニズムを、伝統的な食生活では多量に摂取されていたファイトケミカルの摂取と腸内細菌叢の変化に焦点をあてて解明を試みるものである。人類が経験する非感染性疾患の増加という現象の背景にある要因として、ファイトケミカル（野生植物）の摂取量減少と腸内細菌叢の乱れという２点を、健康転換の途上にある人類集団で検討することに挑戦的研究としての意義がある。

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In mountainous regions of Southeast Asia, the people have consumed substantial amount of wild plants, which probably have contributed to suppress oxidative stress/inflammation due to the effect of phytochemicals. We hypothesized that 'nutritional transition' in the regions is partly attributable to the longitudinal reduction in phytochemicals consumption and the change in the gut microbiota. The survey was conducted in three villages in the northern mountainous region of Laos. In addition to questionnaire surveys for dietary habits and physical activity, fecal, urine, scalp hair and DBS samples were collected. Biomarkers of oxidative stress/inflammation and gut microbiota were evaluated. The major findings were reported in five papers that were published in international journals.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ラオスの農村部で非感染性疾患が増加する背景として、ファイトケミカル（抗酸化物質のひとつ）を多く含む野生植物の摂取量が減少していること、食生活の変容にともなう腸内細菌叢の変化に加えて、重金属暴露、酸化ストレスがかかわっている可能性を示した。現代社会では甘く柔らかい野菜が好まれるが、非感染性疾患のリスク低減のためには、可食野生植物を活用することも考えるべきだろう。

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] Lao TPHI/NAFRI(ラオス)
• [Int'l Joint Research] Tropical and Public Health Institute/NAFRI(ラオス)
• [Int'l Joint Research] ラオス熱帯医学公衆衛生研究所/ラオス農業林業研究所(ラオス)
• [Journal Article] Determinants of oxidative stress among indigenous populations in Northern Laos: Trace element exposures and dietary patterns (2023)
  • Author(s): Mizuno Yuki、Inaba Yohei、Masuoka Hiroaki、Kibe Mihoko、Kosaka Satoko、Natsuhara Kazumi、Hirayama Kazuhiro、Inthavong Nouhak、Kounnavong Sengchanh、Tomita Shinsuke、Umezaki Masahiro
  • Journal Title: Science of The Total Environment Volume: 868 Pages: 161516-161516
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161516
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Impact of modernization on oxidative stress among indigenous populations in northern Laos (2023)
  • Author(s): Mizuno Yuki、Inaba Yohei、Masuoka Hiroaki、Kibe Mihoko、Kosaka Satoko、Natsuhara Kazumi、Hirayama Kazuhiro、Inthavong Nouhak、Kounnavong Sengchanh、Tomita Shinsuke、Umezaki Masahiro
  • Journal Title: American Journal of Biological Anthropology Volume: - Issue: 3 Pages: 352-363
  • DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24722
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Association between the dietary inflammatory index and disability in Japanese older people (2022)
  • Author(s): Masuda Momoka、Natsuhara Kazumi、Sueyoshi Shuji、Odani Shingo、Yagyu Fumihiro、Tadokoro Kiyoshi、Ohnishi Mayumi、Nakao Rieko、Goto Chiho、Umezaki Masahiro
  • Journal Title: Public Health Nutrition Volume: 25 Issue: 11 Pages: 3137-3145
  • DOI: 10.1017/s1368980022001604
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Divergence in Nutritional Intake and Physical Activity Patterns Among Households in a Village of Ethnic Minorities in Northern Laos at the Initial Stage of Health Transition (2022)
  • Author(s): Kibe Mihoko、Tomita Shinsuke、Umezaki Masahiro
  • Journal Title: Human Ecology Volume: 50 Issue: 2 Pages: 287-305
  • DOI: 10.1007/s10745-022-00310-y
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Impact of modernization on urinary concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, lead, and selenium in rural residents of Northern Laos (2021)
  • Author(s): Mizuno Yuki、Masuoka Hiroaki、Kibe Mihoko、Kosaka Satoko、Natsuhara Kazumi、Hirayama Kazuhiro、Inthavong Nouhak、Kounnavong Sengchanh、Tomita Shinsuke、Umezaki Masahiro
  • Journal Title: American Journal of Human Biology Volume: 34 Issue: 4
  • DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23685
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Assessment of intra- and inter-assay variation in dried blood spot telomere length measurements by qPCR (2021)
  • Author(s): MIZUNO YUKI、HUR KYU、UMEZAKI MASAHIRO
  • Journal Title: Anthropological Science Volume: 129 Issue: 1 Pages: 99-102
  • DOI: 10.1537/ase.2011301
  • NAID: 130008030437
  • ISSN: 0918-7960, 1348-8570
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Presentation] ラオス北部住民の重金属曝露と酸化ストレスとの関連 (2021)
  • Author(s): 水野佑紀，増岡弘晃，木部未帆子，小坂理子，稲葉洋平，夏原和美，平山和宏，Sengchanh Kounnavong，富田晋介，梅崎昌裕
  • Organizer: 第91回日本衛生学会総会
• [Presentation] ラオス北部住民の重金属類暴露と血圧との関連 (2020)
  • Author(s): 水野佑紀，増岡弘晃，木部未帆子，小坂理子，夏原和美，平山和宏，Nouhak Inthavong，Sengchanh Kounnavong，富田晋介，梅崎昌裕
  • Organizer: 第31回日本微量元素学会学術集会
• [Book] 微生物との共生 (2023)
  • Author(s): 梅﨑 昌裕
  • Total Pages: 240
  • Publisher: 京都大学学術出版会
  • ISBN: 9784814004607
• [Book] 人間の本質にせまる科学 (2021)
  • Author(s): 井原 泰雄、梅﨑 昌裕、米田 穣
  • Total Pages: 296
  • Publisher: 東京大学出版会
  • ISBN: 4130622285