Molecular basis for the activation of exosome-mediated gut-brain interaction by food

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H02141
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 38050:Food sciences-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Katakura Yoshinori 九州大学, 農学研究院, 教授 (50264106)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: エクソソーム / 腸脳相関 / miRNA / 加齢マウス / Caco-2細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I have searched for and identified foods that activate the gut-brain relationship via exosomes, and have identified several foods as gut-brain relationship activating foods. These foods were found to activate intestinal cells and secrete exosomes that activate neurons in an in vitro cell culture system. In addition, after these foods were administered to aged mice, visual cognitive memory was evaluated by a novel object recognition test, and it was found that all of the foods enhanced the memory function. Furthermore, using these foods as model foods, I succeeded in identifying the miRNAs involved in the activation of the gut-brain correlation and the pathways activated by these miRNAs through various multifaceted analyses and complex omics analyses.

Free Research Field

食品機能学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

脳機能を改善する食品に関しては、最近報告が増えてきつつある。しかしながら、それら食品の機能性の分子基盤を明らかにした例は少ない。本研究では、腸脳相関活性化作用を有する食品の分子基盤として、食品により誘導されるエクソソームを想定するものであり、極めて新規性が高く、食品の機能性に関する新たな可能性を示す研究といえる。今後は、脳機能改善に限らない、様々な食品の様々な全身性の機能を説明する分子基盤となりうることが期待される。