The study of retrograde signals involved in the beneficial effects of caloric restriction, aiming to an extension of the healthy lifespan

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K19686
• 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: Tokyo University of Science
• Principal Investigator: Kobayashi Masaki 東京理科大学, 薬学部生命創薬科学科, 講師 (30795612)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: カロリー制限 / ミトコンドリア / PGC-1α / MIPEP

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have previously identified MIPEP and PGC-1α as mitochondrial factors whose expression is increased in adipocytes by caloric restriction (CR), an intervention that shows anti-aging and pro-longevity effects. This study addressed and partially demonstrated the hypothesis that these factors contribute to CR-induced changes in the quality of adipocytes through retrograde signaling, which mediates between mitochondrial changes and transcriptional regulation in the nucleus.

Free Research Field

分子代謝学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

CR による抗老化作用は、人類にとって魅力的なものであるが、実際に実験動物で行われているような長期間のCR を実践することは難しい。それゆえ、その作用の分子メカニズムの模倣は健康寿命延伸の有効な戦略である。本研究の成果により、CR模倣の候補分子といえるMIPEPとPGC-1αの脂肪細胞機能への実際の寄与を明らかにするとともに、ミトコンドリアを起点とする新たな脂肪細胞の質的制御の一端を提唱することができた。