Investigation of the defensive measures from oxidative stress, caused by aging and/or inactivity, and radiation exposure

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K07291
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 48020:Physiology-related
• Research Institution: Doshisha University
• Principal Investigator: Ohira Yoshinobu 同志社大学, 研究開発推進機構, 客員教授(嘱託研究員) (50185378)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 活性酸素 / MnSOD / 老化 / 不活動 / 放射線被曝

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Detrimental effects of oxidative stress and exposure to radiation are serious medical concerns during long-term space exploration missions. Thus, the effects of treatment by daily intraperitoneal injection of recombinant manganese superoxide dismutase (rMnSOD) for inhibition of aging or anti-gravity activity caused by hindlimb unloading, and/or exposure to radiation were studied in acceleration of aging model (senescence-accelerated SAMP1) mice and/or Wistar Hannover rats. The aging-associated changes of gene and protein expression (up- or down-regulation) in soleus muscle with antigravitational function were inhibited by the treatment using rMnSOD. However, the beneficial effects of rMnSOD treatment in mice exposed to X-ray daily were minor.

Free Research Field

宇宙医科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

高齢社会が抱える老化や不活動による活性酸素による生体諸機能における悪影響は、憂慮される健康問題である。抗酸化機能を持つ各種の食物等がマスコミをにぎわせているが、特効薬となるものの開発には至っていない。そこで、本研究で示唆されたrMnSOD投与の効果は、この問題の解決にある種のヒントを与えてくれたと思われ、学術的にも社会的にも有意義な示唆が得られたものと確信する。