Regulatory Mechanism of Skeletal Muscle Function by Fatty Acid Remodeling of Phospholipids

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H03362
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
• Research Institution: University of Shizuoka
• Principal Investigator: Miura Shinji 静岡県立大学, 食品栄養科学部, 教授 (10342932)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: リン脂質 / リモデリング / 骨格筋 / 遅筋線維 / 持久力

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although some studies have shown that acyl chain species in phospholipids differ among various muscle fiber types, the mechanisms and physiological roles underlying these differences are unclear. To investigate this, we analyzed PC and PE molecules in the murine extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus muscles. In the EDL muscle, the vast majority of PC molecules contained palmitate (16:0-PC), while in the soleus muscle, in addition to 16:0-PC, 27.9% of PC molecules contained stearate (18:0-PC). LPGAT1 was highly expressed in the soleus as compared to the EDL muscle. LPGAT1 knockout decreased the amount of 18:0-PC and 18:0-PE in murine skeletal muscle, which explains the LPGAT1-mediated regulation of myofiber type-specific acyl chain profiles of PC and PE. Loss of LPGAT1 expression in the skeletal affects endurance capacity, suggesting that LPGAT1-mediated regulation of acyl chain profiles in phospholipids plays an important role in the physiological functions of the skeletal muscle.

Free Research Field

分子栄養学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

リン脂質は生体膜を構成する主要な脂質であるが、リン脂質に結合している脂肪酸種の制御に関する研究の歴史は浅く、組織レベルでの解明や組織の機能に及ぼす影響についての検討は遅れている。その理由として、脂質はゲノムに直接コードされないため解析が難しいことや、抗体を用いた検出が難しいことなどが考えられる。本研究課題では、骨格筋の筋線維タイプによるリン脂質分子種の相違を手がかりに、“生体を構成する脂質の質”と生体機能の関係性まで踏み込んだ解析を実施した。今回の研究成果は、栄養学における脂質の新たな意義を見出し、栄養学の新しい研究領域の開拓や新概念の提唱につながることが期待される。