The reduction in body fat accumulation through the "increased sensitivity" and "activation" of the sympathetic nervous system induced by food factors.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K11584
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
• Research Institution: Teikyo University of Science & Technology
• Principal Investigator: NISHIKAWA SHO 帝京科学大学, 生命環境学部, 講師 (10728249)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 褐色脂肪細胞化 / 交感神経形成

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Induction of brown-like adipocyte (induction of beige adipocytes that consume energy as heat) in white adipose tissue has attracted attention as an anti-obesity strategy. On the other hand, sympathetic nerve stimulation is known to induce brown-like adipocyte, but its systemic effects are an obstacle to its practical application. In this study, we focused on a food ingredient that induces brown-like adipocyte by a mechanism different from sympathetic nerve stimulation, and found that this food ingredient induced sympathetic nerve formation in white adipose tissue in a limited manner. In addition, when a portion of inguinal white adipose tissue, which is frequently used to evaluate induction of brown-like adipocyte, the accuracy of the evaluation is expected to be greatly reduced. In this study, we succeeded in accurately evaluating it by differentiating the site within the adipose tissue.

Free Research Field

食品機能学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

白色脂肪組織における褐色脂肪細胞化(エネルギーを熱として消費するベージュ脂肪細胞を誘導すること)は抗肥満戦略として注目されている。しかし、その誘導において交感神経刺激が知られているものの、高血圧といった全身作用による副作用がその実用化の障害である。
本研究では、交感神経による全身作用を回避し、脂肪組織に限定的に作用し褐色脂肪細胞化及び交感神経形成を誘導する食品成分を見出した。また、褐色脂肪細胞化を評価する際、脂肪組織の一部を用いるため評価精度が問題視されてきたが、本研究では組織内の部位ごとに褐色脂肪細胞化誘導を評価することで、その評価制度を向上させることに成功した。