Xanthophyll metabolism regulating its accumulation and decomposition

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K11081
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
• Research Institution: Jumonji University
• Principal Investigator: Nagao Akihiko 十文字学園女子大学, 人間生活学部, 教授 (40353958)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: アポカロテナール / カロテノイド / キサントフィル / ゼアキサンチン / 非対称開裂 / ルテイン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

An asymmetric cleavage of carbon skeleton and oxidation of end group in carotenoid metabolism were investigated in their relation to the accumulation of carotenoids in tissues. The activity of the asymmetric cleavage enzyme expressed in the mouse liver was successfully detected only in the presence of a detergent. Zeaxanthin, lutein, and lactucaxanthin were more readily cleaved than β-cryptoxanthin, while no cleavage product of β-carotene was found. Thus, the asymmetric cleavage enzyme of mouse liver, which was found to be specific for zeaxanthin and lutein, would be an important metabolic factor controlling accumulation of non-provitamin A xanthophylls.

Free Research Field

食品科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

カロテノイドの非対称開裂酵素の特性は組替え体で研究が進められてきたが、動物組織での開裂産物生成やネイティッブ酵素の活性についての明確な証拠は得られていなかった。本研究によって初めて肝臓に発現する酵素の活性が検出され基質特異性が明らかにされたことは、キサントフィル代謝の研究上意義深い。本酵素はキサントフィルの体内蓄積の重要な代謝上の因子と考えられたことから、この遺伝子の多型とキサントフィル蓄積の関係が今後明らかにされると、テーラーメイド栄養につながるものと期待される。