| Budget Amount *help |
¥25,740,000 (Direct Cost: ¥19,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥5,940,000)
Fiscal Year 2014: ¥5,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,200,000)
Fiscal Year 2013: ¥5,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,200,000)
Fiscal Year 2012: ¥15,340,000 (Direct Cost: ¥11,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥3,540,000)
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Obesity is one of the major risk factors for asthma. Previous studies have demonstrated that free fatty acid levels are elevated in the plasma of obese individuals. Recently, medium- and long-chain free fatty acids have been reported to act as endogenous ligands for the free fatty acid receptors (FFAR1 and FFAR4). We investigated whether FFAR1 and FFAR4 are expressed on airway smooth muscle, modulate airway smooth muscle tone, and induce airway remodeling. We detected the expression of FFAR1 and FFAR4 in airway smooth muscle. The long-chain free fatty acids potentiated airway contraction and remodeling.
These results suggest that functional FFAR1 and FFAR4 are expressed in airway smooth muscle. These free fatty acid sensors expressed on airway smooth muscle could be an important regulator of airway smooth muscle tone and airway remodeling.
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