Development of disease prediction algorithm using hair steroid imaging

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K21203
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0909:Sports sciences, physical education, health sciences, and related fields
• Research Institution: Kanazawa University
• Principal Investigator: Hashimoto Atsushi 金沢大学, 融合科学系, 博士研究員 (00623654)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ステロイド

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Steroid hormones are important biological substances for maintaining homeostasis and are involved in the onset and exacerbation of lifestyle-related diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, as well as psychiatric disorders such as depression. The goal of this study was to establish a method for quantification and localization imaging of steroid metabolites in hair. As a result, quantification of five steroid hormones in hair and localization imaging of steroid compounds were also possible. Although the study was conducted in a small number of healthy subjects, there were individual differences in steroid profiles and patterns in hair. In the future, we plan to obtain hair samples from the disease group and construct a disease prediction algorithm based on the steroid patterns in the hair.

Free Research Field

内分泌学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

毛髪検査は、検体採取のために医療機関を受診する必要がなく、自宅で痛みを伴わず入手可能である。また、健常人と疾患群との間に毛髪ステロイドパターンが異なり、診断や病勢を示すバイオマーカーとなりうるのであれば、血液や尿などの検体を採取する必要はなくなる。従来の検体は、検査のために医療機関を受診する必要があったが、毛髪であれば、簡便に入手可能なことから適切な方法で輸送するだけでよい。この結果、検査情報を入手が問題のある遠隔診療と相性の良いと考えられる。
また、これらの手法は、ヒトだけでなく、飼い猫や飼い犬といった体毛の多い愛玩動物の健康状態の把握にも応用が期待できるかもしれない。