Cellular and molecular basis for body temperature control system in hamster, a postnatal homeotherm animal model

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K08118
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Integrative animal science
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Okamatsu-Ogura Yuko 北海道大学, 獣医学研究院, 准教授 (90527178)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 褐色脂肪 / 体温調節 / UCP1 / ハムスター / 脂肪組織 / 熱産生 / 組織リモデリング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The body temperature of a homeothermic animal is regulated by the balance between heat production and heat dissipation. In this study, the mechanism of the development of brown adipose tissue that is responsible for non-shivering thermogenesis was investigated using hamsters, which is a advantageous model to investigate the effect of internal and external factors on the tissue formation. It was revealed that the speed of brown adipose tissue formation was controlled by ambient temperature, but the formation itself was controlled by endogenous secretory factors in hamsters. These result may contribute to the understanding of the mechanism for the construction of a body temperature control system in mammals, and also provide new insights for applied research toward the development of therapeutic tool against metabolic syndrome.

Free Research Field

生化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

出生後に外温性から恒温性に転換する特殊なモデル動物であるハムスターにおける褐色脂肪組織の形成機構を理解することにより、哺乳動物に普遍的な体温制御システムの構築機構の理解に貢献できる。また、褐色脂肪組織は脂肪エネルギーを消費するため、肥満対策のターゲットとしても関心を集めている。本研究により見出された褐色脂肪組織形成を促進する因子は、褐色脂肪量を維持または増加させて太りにくい体質を獲得する新たなメタボリックシンドローム対策法の提示に向けた応用研究に活用できる。