The role of oxidative stress on aging

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H03173
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Ishii Yukio 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 教授 (80272194)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 森島 祐子 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 准教授 (10375511) ; 松野 洋輔 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 講師 (30633177)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 老化 / 肺 / 転写因子 / 酸化ストレス / アンチエイジング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Aging rate is regulated by environmental factors, such as oxidative stress. Because lung is the most important organ exposed to environmental agents, the degree of lung antioxidative activity is thought to be related to aging rate. Nrf2 is a transcription factor regulating the intracellular antioxidant responses. Nrf2 is expressed abundantly in the lung. In the present study, therefore, we investigate the protective effects of Nrf2 on the development of aging-related pulmonary infections. In both pneumococcal pneumonia and non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease models in mice, survival rate after the infections was lower in elderly mice than in young mice. The degree of pulmonary inflammation and lung bacterial growth after the infections were higher in elderly mice than in young mice with less pulmonary activation of Nrf2. These results suggest that Nrf2 plays a protective role in the development of aging-related pulmonary infections.

Free Research Field

老年医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

健康寿命を延伸することは高齢化社会における本質的な対策である。老化を遅らせること、老化関連疾患を予防管理することは健康寿命延伸の最も有効な方法と考えられる。今回の研究において、肺の抗酸化能の差異が老化スピードに影響を及ぼすことが明らかになり、Nrf2の誘導的活性化が健康寿命の延伸や、アンチエイジングに有用である可能性が示された。またNrf2の活性化は、老化関連肺感染症であり最近関心の高まっている肺非結核性抗酸菌症や肺炎球菌性肺炎の発症予防や重症化予防にもつながることが示され、研究成果は老年医学および感染症学の分野で意義のあるものと考える。