Mechanism of amino acid metabolism, alleviation and prevention of hepatic steatosis

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26460998
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Gastroenterology
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Takashi Honda 名古屋大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (10378052)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): SHIMOMURA Yoshiharu 名古屋大学, 大学院生命農学研究科, 教授 (30162738)
• Research Collaborator: Feng g. g 愛知医科大学, 薬理学, 講師 (70351111)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 非アルコール性脂肪性肝炎 / 分岐鎖アミノ酸 / 脂肪肝 / コリン欠乏

Outline of Final Research Achievements

At present, there is no established treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) have been used to treat patients with decompensated cirrhosis.
In order to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for the effects of BCAAs on hepatic steatosis and disease progression, we investigated the effects of BCAA supplementation in mice fed a choline-deficient high-fat diet (CDHF), which induces NASH.
Serum ALT levels and hepatic TG were significantly lower in CDHF-BCAA than in CDHF-control. Gene expression and protein level of fatty acid synthase (FAS), which catalyzes the final step in fatty acid biosynthesis, was significantly dcreased in CDHF-BCAA than in CDHF-control. BCAA can alleviate hepatic steatosis and liver injury associated with NASH by suppressing FAS gene expression and protein levels.

Free Research Field

肝臓学