Development of non-invasive diagnostic method for NASH elucidating the pathological condition by redox imaging

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K18399
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 90130:Medical systems-related
• Research Institution: Nippon Medical School
• Principal Investigator: Nakata Ryosuke 日本医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (70614759)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 非アルコール性脂肪肝炎 / NASH / NAFLD / 肥満

Outline of Final Research Achievements

While the accelerating increase in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a social problem worldwide, there is no simple and reliable diagnostic method that can be performed non-invasively, leading to non-alcoholic fatty hepatitis. We have developed a diagnostic method to evaluate the mitochondrial redox status in the living body as a new diagnostic method for early detection of the progress of the disease and for the treatment. Using biodynamic nuclear depolarized magnetic resonance images using Carbamoyl-PROXYL as a radical probe, we show that mitochondrial redox metabolism in vivo changes from the very early stage of pathological onset, and a new non-invasive NAFLD / NASH. Clarified the possibility of early diagnosis and development.

Free Research Field

消化器外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、ミトコンドリアレドックス代謝がNAFLD/NASHの病態発現早期から生じていることが明らかになった。ミトコンドリア内での電子伝達系異常がこれに関与している可能性についても示すことができた。ラジカルプローブを用いた生体動的核変極磁気共鳴画像は非侵襲的な検査法であり、動物実験における創薬・治療法の開発に役立つことが期待され、将来的には臨床応用の可能性も秘められている。