Genetic and physiological factors that constitute cold adaptability in Japanese.

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26251050
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied anthropology
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Watanuki Shigeki 九州大学, 芸術工学研究院, 教授 (00158677)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 太田 博樹 北里大学, 医学部, 准教授 (40401228) ; 中山 一大 自治医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (90433581) ; 西村 貴孝 長崎大学, 医歯(薬)学総合研究科, 助教 (80713148) ; 星 良和 東海大学, 農学部, 教授 (70332088)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 生理的多型 / 遺伝的多型 / 体温調節 / 寒冷適応

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We aimed to clear the relationship between genetic polymorphism and physiological polytypism of thermogenesis in Japanese. In this research, we focused on UCP1 genotype that affects human non-shivering thermogenesis (NST), and we examined the difference of NST among the UCP1 genotypes (rs1800592, etc.).
We showed that the degree of NST was significantly different among UCP1 genotypes. In addition, we found that the frequency of the haplotype with the highest NST was significantly correlated with latitudes and ambient temperature. Thus, the data provide the first evidence that the UCP1 genotype alters the efficiency of NST in humans, and likely supports the hypothesis that the UCP1 gene has been related to human cold adaptation. In conclusion, physiological polytypism of human cold adaptability was affected by genetic polymorphism, and our methodological approach such as using physiological, genetic, geographical data was progressive way of understanding human evolutionary history.

Free Research Field

人類学