Molecular mechanisms of physiological changes associated with rapid nutritional supplementation from undernourished situations

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K07095
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 47030:Pharmaceutical hygiene and biochemistry-related
• Research Institution: Kobe Pharmaceutical University
• Principal Investigator: Konishi Morichika 神戸薬科大学, 薬学部, 教授 (00322165)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 絶食 / 再摂食 / 糖質 / 肝細胞傷害 / 胸腺 / FGF21

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We demonstrated that ingestion of free glucose following a prolonged fasting period of approximately 2 days in mice resulted in increased production of the chemokine CXCL1 in the liver immediately after refeeding, resulting in transient liver injury with neutrophil infiltration. Immediately after refeeding, hepatic production of FGF21, an endocrine factor, increased, suggesting that FGF21 may induce hepatic CXCL1 production. On the other hand, repeated changes in nutrition following fasting and refeeding did not worsen liver injury. On the other hand, when repeated, an increase in immature T cells caused an increased volume in the thymus. Therefore, it was suggested that nutritional changes such as fasting and refeeding may greatly affect T cell-mediated immunity in individuals.

Free Research Field

分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

栄養不良や、急激な栄養補給は、個体の生理に大きく影響するものと考えられている。人において長期にわたる栄養不良状態から、急激に栄養補給を行うとRefeeding症候群と呼ばれる一連の病態が生じることが知られており、栄養状態の急激な変化の影響を明らかにすることは基礎生理学としても医学薬学としても非常に重要である。本研究では、Refeeding症候群でも一部認められる栄養補給直後の肝傷害について、そのメカニズムを明らかにできた。本研究の知見は、 同症候群の予防法の開発につながることが期待される。