Identification of aestivation-dependent longevity and its regulation

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K20664
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Studies on the Super-Aging Society
• Research Institution: Kagawa University
• Principal Investigator: Nishiyama Akira 香川大学, 医学部, 教授 (10325334)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 杉浦 悠毅 慶應義塾大学, 医学部(信濃町), 特任講師 (30590202) ; 鈴木 美和 日本大学, 生物資源科学部, 教授 (70409069) ; 植田 啓一 一般財団法人沖縄美ら島財団(総合研究センター), 総合研究センター 動物研究室, 上席研究員 (70721728) ; 大崎 博之 神戸大学, 保健学研究科, 准教授 (80438291)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 夏眠 / 夏眠様反応 / 生体防御反応 / 体液 / 老化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Previous research aimed at achieving healthy longevity has focused only on the "factors that cause functional decline" in individuals, and has not yet reached a fundamental solution. Therefore, we made a 180-degree turn and focused on the control of potential defense mechanisms.
As a result, it was proven that a similar biological response called "aestivation," which was acquired by organisms to retain body fluid when they landed during evolution, is preserved in mammals, and it was experimentally demonstrated that aestivation-like response regulates body fluid in the pathogenesis of hypertension, kidney disease, and liver failure in rats. Furthermore, dramatic changes in body fluid in mice bred in space have also been demonstrated and are being studied in collaboration with JAXA.

Free Research Field

薬理学、臨床薬理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

健康長寿を目指した研究のすべては、個体の機能低下を生じる「要因」を阻害する、あるいは補足して解決を図るものばかりであり、生体が備え持つ適応能力に着目したものは皆無であった。これに対し本研究は、これまでの申請者の発見に基づき、生体が持つ目に見えない生体防御機構である「夏眠様反応」を制御することで老化防止や生活習慣病の未病を試みる世界初の挑戦であり、新しい学術分野を切り開き、健康長寿獲得への突破口とするものである。