Identification of novel skeletal muscle G protein-coupled receptors that improve sarcopenia through thyroid hormone activation

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K07907
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 52010:General internal medicine-related
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: Araki Osamu 群馬大学, 医学部, 非常勤講師 (80589482)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: サルコペニア / G蛋白共役型受容体 / 甲状腺ホルモン活性化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

As our country is already facing a super-aging society, the maintenance of musculoskeletal system and other locomotory organs is an urgent issue in maintaining healthy life expectancy of the elderly. Thyroid hormones are activated from T4 to T3 and exert their physiological effects, promoting skeletal muscle and bone differentiation as well as exhibiting anti-obesity effects, and are expected to improve the condition of sarcopenic obesity, which are problems in the elderly. In this study, we identified several candidate G-protein coupled receptors that can improve sarcopenia through thyroid hormone activation in skeletal muscle and analyzed their functions to establish a molecular basis for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenic obesity in the future.

Free Research Field

内分泌代謝・糖尿病学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

サルコペニアは筋量と筋力の進行性かつ全身性の減少に特徴づけられ、身体機能障害、生活の質の低下や死のリスクを伴う。正常な筋量・筋力を維持することは高齢者の身体機能を維持し健康寿命を延伸するために極めて重要である。肥満・内臓脂肪の蓄積はインスリン抵抗性を惹起し、脂質異常、耐糖能異常、高血圧をもたらし、動脈硬化の促進と心血管疾患発症のリスクを高め、患者の生命予後やQOLの低下をもたらす。本研究における骨格筋において甲状腺ホルモン活性化を介してサルコペニアを改善しうる新規G蛋白共役受容体の同定は将来的にサルコペニア肥満を予防ならびに治療するための分子基盤を確立し、健康寿命の延伸につながる成果である。