Roles of intestinal epithelial mechanosensing in nutritional physiology

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K21277
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 38:Agricultural chemistry and related fields
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Takuya Suzuki 広島大学, 統合生命科学研究科(生), 教授 (30526695)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: Piezo1 / 腸管バリア / メカノセンシング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study investigated the role of the mechanosensor Piezo1 in the intestinal epithelium, and was tested in a combination of mice and cultured cells. Dietary fiber fed to mice lacking intestinal epithelial-specific Piezo1 showed that dietary fiber induces antimicrobial peptide Reg3 expression via activation of Piezo1. This effect was also found to be mediated by phosphorylation of STAT3, a transcription factor important for Reg3 transcription. Piezo1-deficient mice also showed effects on the intestinal microflora, including lower levels of Butyricoccus, one of the butyrate-producing bacteria, and lower levels of butyrate in the feces.

Free Research Field

食品科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、腸管上皮のPiezo1は少なくとも腸管の透過性と抗菌ペプチド産生の調節に関わり、腸管ホメオスタシスの維持に関与することが提案された。本研究の知見は、腸管におけるメカノセンシングの新規役割を明らかにするとともに、食品成分の新規の作用様式を見出した。