Profiling of steroid hormone for women's health and wellbeing: metabolomics cohort study

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K19416
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 58020:Hygiene and public health-related: including laboratory approach
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: Iida Miho 慶應義塾大学, 医学部(信濃町), 講師 (70594505)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: テストステロン / ステロイドホルモン / 骨密度 / メタボローム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the course of establishing a system for steroid hormone profiling in a cohort study of community residents, we focused on free testosterone, which is believed to play an important role in health issues among elderly women, and examined their association with bone mineral density (BMD). The study results suggested that blood free testosterone concentration levels are positively associated with BMD among postmenopausal women, even after adjusting for known osteoporosis risk factors such as age, BMI, smoking habit, drinking habit, and physical activity. The association was stronger than that in men of the same age, indicating the importance of gender-specific studies. Metabolomic analysis indicated that L-Kynurenine had significantly lower blood concentration levels in the low BMD group, even after adjustment for age, BMI, and smoking and drinking habits, suggesting that L-Kynurenine may be a candidate biomarker for low BMD. Further research is warranted.

Free Research Field

女性医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

世界で最も高齢化が進んでいる我が国の女性にとって、健康長寿と高齢期のウェルビーイングの実現は社会的課題である。加齢に伴う性ホルモンの低下が様々な疾患やQOLの障害と関連している可能性が期待される中、女性ホルモンについては補充療法の効果や副作用に関する知見が多数存在するが、男性ホルモンについてはエビデンスの蓄積が不十分である。本研究成果より、一般地域在住女性において、血中男性ホルモン濃度が要介護状態の原因の多くを占める骨折ならびにその原因となる骨密度低下と有意に関連していることが明らかとなった。引き続きステロイドホルモンプロファイル解析を進め、性ホルモン産生の機序解明に関する知見を深めたい。