Elucidation of the mechanism of xerostomia occurrence by glycan profiling

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K11785
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
• Research Institution: National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology
• Principal Investigator: YAMAKOSHI Kimi 国立研究開発法人国立長寿医療研究センター, 研究所 研究推進基盤センター, 研究員 (50423398)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 口腔乾燥症状 / ムチン / 顎下腺 / 唾液粘度 / 糖鎖 / 炎症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using the submandibular glands (SMGs) of young and middle-aged people aged 25 to 69 and elderly people aged 85 and over, we performed immunohistochemical analysis and mucin analysis using molecular matrix electrophoresis (SMME). In this study, it was suggested that acidic mucous substances, mainly considered to be mucin, may be newly produced by cells other than those that normally produce mucin due to aging, and that mucin glycans of human SMG have a structure with sialic acid attached by α2-3 linkage to core-1 type structure, similar to mouse SMG mucin.

Free Research Field

分子細胞生物学、糖鎖生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

高齢者の多くが罹患する口腔乾燥症状（ドライマウス）は、唾液粘性の亢進を伴い、高齢者のQOLを低下させるだけでなく誤嚥性肺炎の発症リスクを高める。本研究では、唾液分泌組織である顎下腺の構成細胞のなかでムチン非産生細胞と考えられている細胞において高齢者ではムチンが産生されている可能性やムチン糖鎖構造に関する知見を得た。これらの知見は、高齢者の口腔乾燥症状の機序解明の新たな糸口となり、将来の治療に寄与することが期待される。