Understanding the relationship between nutrient intake and host defense from the perspective of cytokine IL-1beta expression

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K19643
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 58:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Saitoh Tatsuya 大阪大学, 大学院薬学研究科, 教授 (60456936)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: サイトカイン / 免疫 / 感染症 / 栄養素

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It has long been known that adequate nutrition is necessary to protect against pathogen infection. We all share the experience of catching a cold when our diet is disrupted. However, it remains unclear why adequate nutritional intake promotes the function of the immune system against pathogens. In this study, we focused on the production of inflammatory cytokines via the innate immune system, which plays crucial roles in the defense response against pathogens, with the aim of elucidating the relationship between nutritional intake and infection defense. The analysis revealed that nutrient requirements during production varied greatly among inflammatory cytokines.

Free Research Field

免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、「栄養を十分に取らないとなぜ感染に弱くなるのか？」という古くから知られている、栄養学・健康科学研究分野における根源的な謎に対する答えを導き出すための分子基盤を整えるものである。本研究により、病原体成分を感知したパターン認識受容体を介した炎症性サイトカインの産生を特定のアミノ酸が促進する機序が明らかになれば、適量の栄養の摂取が感染症の予防に寄与するメカニズムの一端を説明することが出来るようになる。