2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Elucidation of the mechanism of onset of steatohepatitis and prevention of pathogenesis with the food ingredients by targeting Nrf2

Research Project

Project/Area Number	23580188
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Research Field	Food science
Research Institution	Kinki University
Principal Investigator	TANAKA Yuji 近畿大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (00465650)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	KAMISAKO Toshinori 近畿大学, 医学部附属病院, 教授 (20233934)
Research Collaborator	OGAWA Hiroshi 帝塚山学院大学, 人間科学部, 教授 (00133546)
Project Period (FY)	2011 – 2013
Keywords	Nrf2 / 酸化ストレス / 脂肪肝炎 / 食品機能
Research Abstract	Oxidative stress has been implicated in the transition from simple hepatic steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) transcription factor serves as a cellular sensor for oxidative and electrophilic stress. Nrf2 deletion dysregulates hepatic mRNA expression of lipid and iron metabolism related genes and tends to increase hepatic triglycerides and iron, suggesting that Nrf2 may play a role in the pathogenesis of NASH. Wasabi derivative 6-methylsulfinylhexyl isothiocyanate, a potent Nrf2 activator, prevented the fatty liver produced by a high-fat diet in mice. These data indicated that Nrf2 could prevent the onset and progression of steatohepatitis.

(2 results)