Mechanistic analysis of beige adipocyte induction using the Ucp1-imaging mice

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K07343
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 48040:Medical biochemistry-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Fukuda Aya 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 准教授 (50436276)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: UCP1 / ベージュ脂肪細胞 / 分化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Obesity has become a serious problem worldwide. Brown adipocytes and beige adipocytes, which express the thermogenic protein UCP1, have recently attracted attention as useful candidates for reducing obesity. We found that beige adipocyte induction signals were constantly activated in the Ucp1-deficient mice which was made in our previous study. RNA-seq analysis of beige adipose tissues of Ucp1-deficient mice and wild-type mice suggested that multiple signal pathways, including redox-related pathways, are involved in the beige adipocyte induction. We also found that one of the redox enzymes associated with the identified pathway may play an important role in the beige adipocyte induction.

Free Research Field

遺伝子制御

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ベージュ脂肪細胞は、寒冷刺激やアドレナリン等によって白色脂肪組織内に誘導され、褐色脂肪細胞と同様に熱産生機能を有する。ヒト成人においても褐色脂肪細胞が存在することが近年明らかになっており、寒冷刺激で活性化されるなどベージュ脂肪細胞に近い性質を持つと言われている。また、肥満度と褐色脂肪組織の活性には相関があり、褐色脂肪細胞を活性化させると安静時代謝量の増加が見られるという報告もある。これらのことより、ベージュ脂肪細胞の誘導経路を明らかにし、安全かつ継続的にベージュ脂肪細胞を増加させる方法の開発に繋げることができれば、肥満解消に大いに役立つと考えられる。