Exploration for Macrophage Derived Steatosis Inducing Factor

• Project/Area Number: 24790910
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Metabolomics
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: KOBYASHI Masatoshi 東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 研究員 (30396725)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2014-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2013)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥2,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥600,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
• Keywords: マクロファージ / 脂肪肝 / PPARγ

Research Abstract

We discovered that lipid droplets in cultured rat hepatoma cells were induced with media conditioned by cultured macrophages. We explored the macrophage-derived factors that induced hepatic steatosis. We found that lipid accumulation in hepatocytes accompanied the elevated expressions of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor gamma (PPARg) and its target genes. So we examined whether these factors have any activities as PPARg agonists. Furthermore, we investigated variable physical and chemical properties, and prepared the identification of the factor by focusing its category.