Development of a method to prevent a weight loss regain

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20163
• 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: Fujita Health University
• Principal Investigator: ISHIMINE Hisako 藤田医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (90736737)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 肥満 / リバウンド / エネルギー代謝

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Obesity are risk factors for many diseases, including non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders and sleep apnoea. Many people are trying to lose weight due to their health. However, many people experience weight regain even after successful weight loss. In this study, I established a weight regain mouse model in which mice were intermittently fed a high-fat high-calorie diet to repeatedly increase and decrease body weight. Identifying genes underlying weight regain is critical to investigate fat metabolism in regain mice. To identify transcriptomic signatures associates with weight regain I profiled gene expression in brown adipose tissue in weight regain mouse model and fatty mouse model using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). RNA-seq analysis revealed upregulation of the transporter regulator on transcriptional and post-translational levels and downregulation of RNA-binding proteins involved in cell differentiation.

Free Research Field

健康科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

肥満が生活習慣病の原因と成り得ることは広く周知されており、さらに痩身重視の風潮から多くの人が減量に取り組んでいる。しかし、減量に成功してもその状態を維持するためには個人の継続的な努力が必要とされるためリバウンドしてしまうことを多くの人々が経験している。本研究で見出された膜タンパク質細胞膜移行抑制因子を制御し褐色脂肪細胞や筋細胞など、エネルギー代謝が盛んな細胞の機能を活性化することでリバウンドの防止や肥満を予防することが期待される。