Elucidation of immune cell activation mechanism in metabolic diseases using in vivo imaging

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26461356
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Metabolomics
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Nagasaki Mika 東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 特任研究員 (70456135)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): NISHIMURA Satoshi 自治医科大学, 分子病態治療研究センター, 教授 (80456136)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: メタボリックシンドローム / 生体分子イメージング / 脂肪組織 / 炎症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using in vivo imaging technique, we show that nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 2 (ENPP2, autotaxin) is an adipose-derived, secreted enzyme that controls adipose expansion, brown adipose tissue function, and energy expenditure. Our result also suggest ENPP2 could be a useful therapeutic target for the treatment of metabolic disease (2014 Diabetes). We identified GM3(d18:1-h24:1) as the best candidate for metabolic screening, proving to be significantly correlated with intima-media thickness, used for the detection of atherosclerotic disease in humans, and a number of metabolic disease risk factors including autotaxin, LDL-c and homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (2015 PLos One). Moreover, we presented serum adiponectin measurements in Periodic Health Checks can predict the incidence of arteriosclerosis progressions, and FL, independent of obesity.

Free Research Field

メタボリックシンドローム