The role of fatty acids in pain modulation.

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K07399
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 51030:Pathophysiologic neuroscience-related
• Research Institution: Kinjo Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: Kozaki Yasuko 金城学院大学, 薬学部, 教授 (20126882)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 北森 一哉 金城学院大学, 生活環境学部, 教授 (80387597)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 痛覚過敏 / 高脂肪食摂取 / 脂肪酸 / ドコサヘキサエン酸（DHA) / Ffar1

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The intake of a high-fat-cholesterol diet (HFC) causes hyperalgesia from 2-3 days after the start in SHRSP5/Dmcr rats. When serum fatty acid content in the 10, 14, and 24-day HFC groups were compared to the normal diet groups, significant increases in levels of 16:0 and 18:1 and significant decrease in levels of 20:4n-6 and 22:6n-3 (DHA) were detected (p<0.05 by Student's t-test). Among them, DHA has been reported to have an antinociceptive action. The long-chain fatty acid receptor Ffar1, which has a high affinity for DHA, is expressed in the hypothalamus and medulla oblongata lacking the blood-brain barrier. When considering these points, it can be said that fatty acids in the blood may play a role as a signal molecule in the pain modification mechanism.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、エネルギー源として摂取した脂質が、血中脂肪酸含量の変化をもたらし、痛覚の修飾に関与することを明らかにしたものである。下行性疼痛抑制系に深くかかわる視床下部・延髄は、血液脳関門を欠いており、Ffar1等の脂肪酸受容体が発現していることから、血中の脂肪酸がシグナル伝達物質として、細胞膜上受容体を介して痛み感覚の修飾に関与すると考えられる。本成果は、栄養管理に基づく予防医療や脂肪酸受容体を標的とした鎮痛薬の開発の一助となることが期待される。