Targeting gut microbiota as a novel therapy for asthma

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26560376
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Applied health science
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: MIZUTA Kentaro 東北大学, 歯学研究科, 准教授 (40455796)
• Research Collaborator: Emala Charles W. コロンビア大学, 医学部麻酔科学講座, 教授
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 気管支喘息 / 短鎖脂肪酸 / FFAR3 / 腸内細菌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The incidence of asthma has increased greatly over the past decades. Hygiene hypotheses have suggested that the lack of exposure to microbial products in early life or the overuse of antibiotics would be the possible cause of this increase. Gut microbiota produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which acts on their sensors (FFAR2 and FFAR3 receptor). We investigated whether the receptors for SCFAs are expressed on human airway smith muscle, modulate airway smooth muscle tone, and induce airway remodeling. We detected the expression of FFAR3 in human airway smooth muscle. SCFAs potentiated airway smooth muscle contraction through inhibition of cAMP, while they did not induce airway remodeling. These results suggest that SCFAs stimulates FFAR3 receptor expressed on human airway smooth muscle, and modulates airway smooth muscle tone.

Free Research Field

歯科麻酔学