The mechanism by which a ketogenic diet activates anti-tumor immune function and suppresses tumor growth.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K05917
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 38050:Food sciences-related
• Research Institution: Tokoha University
• Principal Investigator: NAKATA Takahiro 常葉大学, 健康プロデュース学部, 教授 (40273932)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 高山 英次 朝日大学, 歯学部, 准教授 (70533446) ; 横尾 宏毅 常葉大学, 健康プロデュース学部, 教授 (30332894) ; 杉山 千歳 常葉大学, 健康プロデュース学部, 教授 (00326125) ; 森下 紗帆 常葉大学, 健康プロデュース学部, 助教 (30614010) ; 佐藤 泰司 防衛医科大学校(医学教育部医学科進学課程及び専門課程、動物実験施設、共同利用研究施設、病院並びに防衛, 生化学, 教授 (10505267) ; 内田 千晴 浜松医科大学, 光尖端医学教育研究センター, 准教授 (60223567)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: metformin / ketogenic diet / CT26 / tumor / quality of life

Outline of Final Research Achievements

By substituting normal food with a ketogenic diet, the blood ketone levels significantly increased after 14 days of experimentation. The life-prolonging effect of the ketogenic diet was examined using a cancer metastasis model in mice. The results varied, with some cases showing a life-prolonging effect depending on the administration of the ketogenic diet, while others did not exhibit such effects, leading to unstable outcomes. A metformin solution (5 mg/ml), a treatment for type 2 diabetes, was prepared and administered to tumor-bearing mice via free drinking water. However, no life-prolonging effect was observed in the metformin-treated group. Nevertheless, a significant effect was noted in suppressing weight gain in the metformin-treated group. Metformin was suggested to potentially alleviate the decline in quality of life caused by accumulated ascites in tumor-bearing mice.

Free Research Field

Neuroscience, Anatomy, Cancer Research

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

癌を移植したマウスモデルを，癌患者と見立てて実験を行った．Ⅱ型糖尿病の治療薬であるメトフォルミンには延命効果は認められなかったが，ケトン食との併用によって，体重の増加を顕著に抑制する効果がみられた．メトフォルミンは，癌が移植されたマウスに溜まりつづける腹水の貯留を抑制することが示唆された．このことは癌患者における腹水貯留によるQOLの低下を抑制する可能性がある．今後の研究の進展が期待される．