Pathophysiological effect of fatty acid composition in pulmonary surfactant on lung diseases

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K09572
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Respiratory organ internal medicine
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: Matsui Hiroki 群馬大学, 大学院保健学研究科, 講師 (20431710)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 横山 知行 群馬大学, 大学院保健学研究科, 教授 (70312890)
• Research Collaborator: KURABAYASHI MASAHIKO
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 脂肪酸組成 / 肺気腫 / 喫煙 / 触媒酵素

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Pulmonary surfactant is essential for the maintenance of proper pulmonary function. It consists of approximately 90 percent of lipids and 10 percent of proteins. However, little is known about the change of lipid composition in the pathogenesis of lung diseases. Then, we focused on the elongase of long chain fatty acids 6, Elovl6, which catalyzes the elongation of long-chain fatty acid. Our data showed deterioration of cigarette smoke-induced pulmonary emphysema in Elovl6-deficient mice. These mice also showed decrease in expression of catalytic enzyme that regulate lipid composition of pulmonary surfactant, or decrease in expression of protein that regulate development of pulmonary emphysema. Our results suggest that deranged fatty acid composition modulated by Elovl6 has a key role in the development of pulmonary emphysema.

Free Research Field

脂質代謝学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

肺サーファクタントの合成・機能異常により、肺気腫を呈することが報告されているが、これまで肺サーファクタントタンパクを中心に研究が進んでおり、脂質の病態意義に関しては明らかにされてこなかった。我々の結果から、喫煙刺激によってElovl6の発現や活性が変化し、その変化に伴って肺局所の脂肪酸組成が変化し、肺気腫の病態に影響することから、新たな病態機序の解明や創薬、治療応用へつながることが期待される。