Dietary Phytoestrogen Reduces Intracranial Aneurysm Formation in Ovariectomized Female Mice

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K10824
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurosurgery
• Research Institution: Hamamatsu University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Hiramatsu Hisaya 浜松医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (70447803)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 山崎 友裕 浜松医科大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (40781050) ; 神尾 佳宣 浜松医科大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (10829716)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 植物性エストロゲン / 腸内細菌 / エストロゲン受容体β

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Postmenopausal women have a higher incidence of intracranial aneurysmal rupture than men of the same age. While estrogen supplement may cause harmful effects in post-menopausal women, phytoestrogen from diet may reduce intracranial aneurysmal formation and rupture in post-menopausal women. Using a mouse model of intracranial aneurysm, we examined effects of equol, a phytoestrogen produced by the gut microbiota from dietary daidzein, in aneurysm formation and rupture in ovariectomized female mice. Equol is known to preferentially bind to estrogen receptor-β.
Equol significantly reduced incidence of intracranial aneurysms compared with vehicle (53.3% versus 88.9%, P=0.047). Moreover dietary daidzein also significantly reduced incidence of intracranial aneurysms compared with isoflavone-free diet (52.6% versus 87.5%, P=0.035).
Our data showed that dietary phytoestrogen reduces intracranial aneurysm formation in ovariectomized female mice.

Free Research Field

脳卒中

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

閉経前後の女性はエストロゲンの減少があることからエストロゲンの補充をすることで血管の保護効果が期待できると考えられます。様々な炎症が血管壁に作用することで脳動脈瘤の発生や破裂が起こることが報告されており、大豆を摂取することで体内でエストロゲン物質を産生して血管壁への抗炎症作用が働き脳動脈瘤の発生を抑制することが期待されます。