Development of novel foods based on physiological effects of oxidative stress

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25350136
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Eating habits
• Research Institution: The Open University of Japan
• Principal Investigator: Kojo Shosuke 放送大学, 教養学部, 教授 (10108988)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ICHI Ikuyo お茶の水女子大学, 大学院人間文化創成科学研究科, 講師 (50403316)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 酸化ストレス / セラミド / スフィンゴミエリナーゼ / 動脈硬化 / 糖尿病 / カテキン / アルツハイマー病 / アミロイド

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Oxidative stress is assumed to cause aging and diseases of the elderly such as cancer, atherosclerosis, and complications of diabetes. Although polyphenols are expected to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vivo, it is fully established that these unphysiological food factors do not effectively scavenge ROS in vivo. Then we must clarify the mechanism, by which oxidative stress causes diseases. We found that sphingomyelinase (an enzyme forming ceramide) was activated by oxidative stress and that the resulting ceramide was a risk factor of atherosclerosis and complications of diabetes using animal experiments. It is well known that ceramide, a physiological lipid causes apoptosis (cell death). In addition we found that green tea catechins inhibited the activation of sphingomyelinase by reduction reaction at physiological concentration in the blood. Therefore it is possible that catechins inhibit the development of atherosclerosis.

Free Research Field

栄養学