Search for new VE homolog and elucidation of its functionalities

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K14403
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 38050:Food sciences-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Beppu Fumiaki 北海道大学, 水産科学研究院, 准教授 (10707540)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: vitamin E / tocopherol / tocomonoenol / tocodienol / tocotrienol / 海洋性ビタミンE / 糖尿病 / 抗炎症効果

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To clarify the difference in physiological function of vitamin E homologs depending on its structure, we aimed to chemically generate α-, β-, γ-, δ-tocomonoenol (T1), tocodienol (T2) and compared the function in in vitro and in vivo study. We showed that α-, β-, γ-, δ-T1 and T2 can be easily prepared by partial hydrogenation with the corresponding T3, and an analytical method for these minor homologs using LC-MS/MS was established. In diabetic model KK-Ay mice, the protective effect of dietary T1 and T2 on hyperglycemia was observed. We also investigated the effects of minor homologs using various cell models such as cancer and inflammatory macrophage cells. Our results from in vivo and in vitro experiment suggested a difference in the metabolic properties and function due to the side chain structure, providing new insights to nutritional and physiological properties of VE compounds.

Free Research Field

脂質栄養化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、天然中の存在量がわずかなT1やT2の標準物質が部分水素添加法を用いることで簡便に調製可能であることを示すとともに、in vivoおよびin vitro実験の結果よりフィチル側鎖構造による代謝特性と機能の違いを明らかにした。本研究の成果は、VEの健康機能研究において側鎖構造と生理活性作用の関連性解明に大きく貢献する基盤的な知見といえる。希少な同族体を用いて未解明の生理機能やそれに係る構造活性相関や作用機構を明らかにすることで、新しい機能性食品素材の開発や肥満関連疾患の新たな予防・治療法の開発につながることが期待できる。