Investigation on how to adjust fatty liver metabolically for suppression of diabetes

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H02180
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied health science
• Research Institution: Toho University
• Principal Investigator: KUMASHIRO Naoki 東邦大学, 医学部, 准教授 (20535207)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 弘世 貴久 東邦大学, 医学部, 教授 (40384119)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 脂肪肝 / インスリン感受性 / 肝臓体積

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have established a new method for accurately assessing the lipid accumulation in the liver that can also be used in longitudinal studies. The MRI images (water and fat images) of the Dexon method were used to objectively determine the absolute quantification of total liver volume, total hepatic fat volume, and total hepatic lean volume. Using this method, we analyzed data from cross-sectional studies and found that hepatic lean volume rather than fat volume was significantly and negatively correlated with hepatic insulin sensitivity. This trend was more pronounced in fatty liver patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. We are now investigating the underlying mechanisms through longitudinal studies in humans and interventional studies in mice.

Free Research Field

栄養、代謝、肝臓、健康科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果は、脂肪肝において肝インスリン感受性を保持する（脂肪との共存を実現する）ために重要な因子として、肝臓へ蓄積する脂肪ではなく、脂肪を受け止める肝臓の大きさが重要であることを初めて明らかにした、学術的に大きな意義をもつものである。今後、脂肪蓄積を減らすことが困難な高齢社会に、大きなブレークスルーをもたらす礎となる研究成果を得ることができた。