Effects of iron deficiency on the vitamin metabolites and age-related diseases

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K16609
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Applied health science
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Agriculture
• Principal Investigator: INOUE Hirofumi 東京農業大学, 応用生物科学部, 助教 (10639305)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 鉄欠乏 / ビタミンC / ビタミンD

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Iron is an essential trace element under normal physiological conditions. Although it is possible that iron depletion participates in inducing oxidative stress, few studies have examined the molecular mechanisms underlying the relationship between oxidative stress and aging-disorder under iron-deficient conditions. In this study, to determine the relationship between iron-deficient conditions and intracellular homeostasis, change in expression of genes in rat liver cell lines treated with an iron-specific chelator treatment as an iron depletion model was analyzed using a DNA microarray. Interestingly, we revealed that iron deficient decreased the various gene expressions including vitamin D and C-associated genes, and methionine-metabolism genes compared to non-treatment cells. We suggest that iron deficiency increase bone metabolisms via altering the vitamin metabolites.

Free Research Field

食品栄養学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果は、各年代における食生活の変化に伴うミネラル摂取過不足に関する研究、特に潜在的に欠乏状態とされている鉄に着目し、この鉄欠乏状態が及ぼす様々な疾患とビタミン代謝がリンクしていることを明らかにした。すなわち、本研究結果は、単一栄養素の欠乏に捉われないミネラルとビタミンをつなぐ新たな研究分野を開拓できたことが食生活の改善につながることからも学術的・社会的に重要な点であると考える。