Elucidation of the pathogenesis of idiopathic aldosteronism by focusing on gender and fat distribution

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K17514
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 54040:Metabolism and endocrinology-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Sakamoto Ryuichi 九州大学, 大学病院, 講師 (70756741)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 特発性アルドステロン症 / 性差 / 肥満 / レプチン / ステロイドプロファイル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

First, we constructed an adrenal disease registry including idiopathic aldosteronism (IHA), then, as a method to efficiently diagnose and extract IHA from hypertensive patients, we identified the aldosterone secretion profile characteristic of IHA. Furthermore, using machine learning, we developed a model to predict IHA from blood test items performed in a routine outpatient clinic.
In the study of IHA cases, we found that serum leptin concentration, which reflects the amount of subcutaneous adipose tissue, correlates with the amount of aldosterone secretion in women. This suggests the existence of "obesity-induced aldosteronism," a leptin-dependent hypersecretion of aldosterone in obese women.

Free Research Field

内分泌学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

女性において肥満がハイリスク高血圧である原発性アルドステロン症に類似する病態を誘導することが明らかになった。これにより、肥満者に合併する高血圧の病態の一部、その性差が明らかとなり、高血圧診療および原発性アルドステロン症診療の精緻化、個別化につながるものと考えられる。