Elucidating the role of autophagy in the inflammatory response that underlies the development of obesity-related kidney disease

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K16204
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 54040:Metabolism and endocrinology-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokushima
• Principal Investigator: OTODA Toshiki 徳島大学, 大学院医歯薬学研究部(医学域), 特任准教授 (60719946)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: オートファジー / 自然免疫 / 炎症 / 肥満 / ２型糖尿病 / 腎臓病 / 脂肪酸

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we focused on sterile inflammation, which is a pathogen-free inflammation that is known to be deeply involved in the induction of tissue damage caused by obesity and type 2 diabetes. The innate immune system, which originally exists to protect us, mistakenly attacks ourselves through sterile inflammation. Autophagy, the intracellular clearance mechanism, suppresses sterile inflammation and prevents the onset of disease. Through analysis of these mechanism, we elucidated the mechanism of induction of renal damage caused by innate inflammation associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Free Research Field

内分泌・代謝内科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

慢性腎臓病の有効な治療法はいまだになく、現状では血圧コントロールや血糖コントロール、食事療法などの保存的な治療に頼らざるをえない。本研究では、自然炎症とオートファジーに着目し、①脂肪酸が自然炎症を惹起する機序において、骨髄系細胞内のオートファジーがどの様な役割を演じるのか、②オートファジーによる新たな自然炎症の制御メカニズムを明らかにし、当該機構を標的とする新たな腎臓病治療の開発に資する基盤的研究を推進する。