2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Development of prophylactic and antidepressant agents that target the BDNF expression in peripheral tissues
Project/Area Number |
19K20134
|
Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
|
Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
Review Section |
Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
|
Research Institution | Nagasaki International University |
Principal Investigator |
|
Project Period (FY) |
2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
|
Keywords | うつ病 / BDNF / 末梢組織 / 穀類 / 和漢薬 / チンピ / 柑橘類 |
Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) upregulation in the brain is considered beneficial for the prevention and treatment of depression. Given that BDNF is also synthesized in various peripheral tissues and can be transported into the brain, substances that upregulate peripheral BDNF are considered important candidates for prophylactic and treatment agents for depression. In this study, we found that several foods, such as foxtail millet and the peel and pulp of several citrus cultivars, increased BDNF levels in the culture medium of the human kidney adenocarcinoma cell line ACHN. Furthermore, a traditional Japanese Kampo medicine that upregulated BDNF in ACHN cells increased the serum BDNF concentration in rats. Our findings will be useful for development of peripheral-acting agents for the prevention and treatment of depression.
|
Free Research Field |
神経科学・医療系薬学
|
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
本研究は、中枢性疾患であるうつ病の克服を末梢から試みる点に新規性がある。うつ病をはじめとする中枢性疾患の薬剤開発は、被験物質が中枢へ十分に移行しないために中止される例が多い。しかしながら本研究で見出された物質は、末梢組織に作用することで抗うつ作用を示すため、脳移行性を考慮することなく臨床応用できる。またBDNFはストレスにより低下することも知られており、BDNFの産生を促進する食材はうつ病の予防に有用と考えられる。本研究の結果、数種の穀類・柑橘類のBDNF産生促進作用が明らかとなった。これらの食材のうつ病予防効果を明らかにすることができれば、食による簡便で安全なうつ病予防手段の構築につながる。
|