Uric acid metabolism and adipocyte dysfunction in obese adipose tissue

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24591351
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Metabolomics
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: NISHIZAWA Hitoshi 大阪大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (20379259)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): FUNAHASHI Tohru 大阪大学, 大学院医学(系)研究科, 寄附講座教授 (60243234)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: プリン代謝異常

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Obesity is often accompanied by hyperuricemia. However, purine metabolism in various tissues, especially regarding uric acid production, has not been elucidated. Here we report, using mouse models, that adipose tissue could produce and secrete uric acid through xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) and that the production was enhanced in obesity. Adipose tissue was one of major organs that had abundant activities of XOR, and obese adipose tissues had higher XOR activities. Cultured adipocytes produced and secreted uric acid into culture medium. Uric acid secretion from whole adipose tissue was increased in obese mice. Our results suggest that purine catabolism in adipose tissue could be enhanced in obesity. Furthermore, we found that content of various metabolites including amino acids changed specifically in obese adipose tissue. Possibly, metabolic dysfunction may be associated with endocrine dysfunction (dysregulation of adipocytokines) in obese adipose tissue such as hypoadiponestinemia.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学