Impact of cranberry juice on urinary microbiome

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K20901
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0902:General internal medicine and related fields
• Research Institution: Kansai Medical University
• Principal Investigator: AKAGAWA Yuko 関西医科大学, 医学部, 研究医員 (70714880)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 尿細菌叢 / 過活動膀胱 / urobiome / クランベリー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Cranberry consumption prevents upper urinary tract infections and reduces symptoms of overactive bladder (OAB), although the mechanism is still unknown. On the other hand, studies have revealed that the urinary microbiota (urobiome) is disturbed in patients with OAB. Therefore, we hypothesized that cranberries act through changing the urobiome. We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study in 40 healthy adults. Cranberry juice and placebo were each consumed for 2 weeks. Bacterial DNA was extracted from the urine and 16S rRNA gene analysis was performed to calculate the diversity and the bacterial composition of the urobiome. In healthy women, cranberry juice consumption significantly reduced the proportion of Lactobacillus and it was restored to its original level after cessation. Our finding that cranberries change the urobiome composition are an important step toward the future development of methods for the prevention and treatment of diseases targeting urobiome.

Free Research Field

腎・泌尿器科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

尿中細菌叢に関する研究は過活動膀胱や尿路感染症など一部の疾患で研究が進められているがまだ多くない。さらに、食品摂取による尿中細菌叢への介入研究はまだ報告がなく、本研究課題については最先端であるといえる。
本研究により、成人女性においてクランベリージュースの摂取が尿中細菌叢を変化させることが初めて明らかとなった。尿中細菌叢の観点からみた疾患の発症、予防、治療に関する研究はまだ広く行われておらず、本研究成果は下部尿路疾患の原因解明や予防治療法開発にも応用できる可能性が考えられる。