Elucidation of mitochondrial function awakening and anti-obesity effect by lipophilic ingredients

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K00883
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Eating habits
• Research Institution: Teikyo University
• Principal Investigator: Unno Yuka 帝京大学, 薬学部, 講師 (30433212)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 肥満 / 脂肪細胞 / 脂質 / 機能性食品 / スクリーニング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our research aims to establish a unified standard of measuring anti-obesity activity by refining a cultured cell evaluation system into a system that can predict elimination of obesity at the individual level.
In this research project, we are screening for lipophilic ingredients that may have anti-obesity effects from Krill oil, which has long been used as an oil to protect the health of people who consume a meat-centered diet with few vegetables, such as those living in Antarctica. We have successfully discovered several functional ingredients. The components from krill oil that promote adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells were screened to reveal palmitoyl lactic acid (PLA) as a promoter of adipogenesis. The PLA-induced adipocytes contained large number of small lipid droplets.

Free Research Field

食生活学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

分子細胞生物学の発展により、脂肪細胞は余剰エネルギーを貯蔵するだけの細胞という理解から、様々な生理活性物質を分泌し、脂肪組織外の組織とも連携して生体の恒常性に貢献することがわかった。しかし、現状の抗肥満薬としては薬効が脂肪組織・脂肪細胞の脂肪蓄積に直接関わっていない食欲抑制や消化吸収抑制などで、分子細胞生物学的手法を用いた肥満研究が抗肥満薬の創出を通じて肥満人口の減少に貢献しているとは言い難い。培養細胞システムによる抗肥満活性評価・解析システムが構築され、個体レベルで肥満解消を予測可能なシステムへと磨き上げる事ができれば、培養細胞は安価で取り扱いも簡単であるため、その波及効果は計り知れない。