| Budget Amount *help |
¥18,980,000 (Direct Cost: ¥14,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥4,380,000)
Fiscal Year 2015: ¥6,240,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,440,000)
Fiscal Year 2014: ¥8,060,000 (Direct Cost: ¥6,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,860,000)
Fiscal Year 2013: ¥4,680,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,080,000)
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease. It is characterized by a wide spectrum of hepatic changes, which may progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis. Carotenoids are potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory micronutrients that have been used to prevent and treat NAFLD. In addition to their antioxidative action, carotenoids can regulate macrophage polarization and thereby halt the progression of NASH. In this study, we found the novel molecular mechanisms of macrophage polarization and the function of liver macrophages/Kupffer cells in NAFLD. We propose that dietary carotenoids, such as β-cryptoxanthin and astaxanthin, can be as a novel nutraceutical and be used to prevent or treat NAFLD through the regulation of macrophage polarization and liver homeostasis.
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