Evaluation of the usefulness of N-acetylglucosamine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K16049
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 47060:Clinical pharmacy-related
• Research Institution: University of Shizuoka
• Principal Investigator: OSAWA Takashi 静岡県立大学, 薬学部, 講師 (40835758)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: Nーアセチルグルコサミン / グルコサミン / 関節リウマチ / 血漿中動態 / 疾患活動性 / 健康診断受診者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Plasma concentration of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients at JA Shizuoka Kosei Hospital reflected disease activity in RA. In addition, plasma concentration of GlcNAc was significantly correlated with renal function and age, indicating that the effects of renal function and aging should be taken into account when using plasma GlcNAc concentration as an indicator of RA disease activity. Furthermore, plasma concentration of glucosamine (GlcN) in 68 RA-naive subjects undergoing health checkups was significantly higher than those in 60 RA patients, while plasma GlcNAc concentrations were significantly lower. The behavior of GlcN and GlcNAc with RA was different.

Free Research Field

薬物動態

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

グルコサミン(GlcN)及びN-アセチルグルコサミン(GlcNAc)は、軟骨の成分である。関節リウマチ(RA)は関節破壊を主徴とするため、軟骨の破壊に伴いGlcN及びGlcNAcが関節腔から血中に漏出することでRAの病態変化を反映する可能性があるが、RA患者における血漿中のGlcN及びGlcNAcの動態は解明されていなかった。本研究では、血漿中GlcN及びGlcNAc濃度とRA罹患の有無、患者背景及びRA疾患活動性との関係を解明した。今後、さらなる研究によってGlcN及びGlcNAｃがRAの病態を示す指標となれば、ＲＡ治療の向上に寄与できるものと考えられる。