Pathophysiological significance of fatty acid composition and catalytic enzyme in pulmonary diseases.

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25504002
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Integrated Nutrition Science
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: MATSUI HIROKI 群馬大学, 保健学研究科, 講師 (20431710)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): YOKOYAMA TOMOYUKI 群馬大学, 大学院保健学研究科, 教授 (70312890)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KURABAYASHI MASAHIKO 群馬大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授 (00215047)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 脂肪酸分画 / 触媒酵素 / 肺線維症 / 肺気腫

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The alveolar epithelial type II cells is indispensable for the maintenance of pulmonary function because these cells synthesize pulmonary surfactant. Approximately 90 percent of pulmonary surfactant consists of lipids, however, little is known about the deregulation of lipid composition in the pathogenesis of pulmonary diseases. We have focused on the fatty acid composition in lung and two major fatty acid catalytic enzymes, Stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), that catalyzes the synthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) from saturated fatty acids (SFA), Elongase of long chain fatty acids 6 (Elovl6), that catalyzes the elongation of long-chain SFA and MUFA. Collectively, our results suggest that deranged fatty acid composition in alveolar type II epithelial cells leads to the onset and development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or pulmonary emphysema, and also suggest that SCD1 and Elovl6 as the novel preventive or therapeutic target for these disease.

Free Research Field

脂質代謝学