The mechanism of NASH development via long chain fatty acid receptor GPR120/FFAR4.

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K12715
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Applied health science
• Research Institution: Kobe Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: OBATA TOKIO 神戸学院大学, 薬学部, 講師 (80625244)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): HIRASAWA Akira 京都大学, 大学院・薬学研究科, 准教授 (70242633)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 非アルコール性脂肪性肝炎(NASH) / GPR120/FFAR4 / DHA / fatty acid

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated the involvement of long chain fatty acid receptor GPR120/FFAR4 in the progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We used choline-deficient and 0.1% methionine added high-fat diet (CDAHFD) in order to produce NASH pathology. In CDAHFD-induced NASH model mice, the liver cell injury, hepatic fat deposit, hepatic inflammation and fibrosis markers significantly increased, but these were suppressed by administration of DHA, an agonist of GPR120/FFAR4. On the other hand, GPR120/FFAR4 knockout mice further exacerbated hepatocyte damage and inflammation by CDAHFD-induced. These findings suggested that GPR 120/FFAR 4 is involved the development of NASH and DHA suppresses in progression.

Free Research Field

臨床薬学