Outline of the research

Lifestyle-related diseases are at the center of health problems in Japan and the world. As the condition worsens, it progresses to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other conditions that lead to death. The origin of lifestyle-related diseases is an abnormality in nutritional metabolism. Elucidating these abnormalities at the molecular level is necessary to establish new treatment strategies for lifestyle-related diseases. The onset of lifestyle-related diseases is caused by an imbalance between nutrient absorption and consumption, which promotes the accumulation of excess nutrients in the body and leads to obesity. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the pathogenesis of the disease from the perspective of nutrient absorption from the small intestine, nutrient metabolism in the liver, and nutrient accumulation in peripheral tissues including adipose tissue. From this perspective, we focus on transcription factors that regulate gene expression. Among the many transcription factors that regulate the expression of enzyme genes involved in nutrient metabolism, we focus on two transcription factors; Cyclic AMP Response Element-binding Protein H (CREBH), which improves lipid metabolism, and Sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP), which worsens it. We research the regulatory mechanisms of nutrient metabolism in the liver and nutrient absorption in the small intestine at the molecular and cellular levels, as well as at the individual mouse level, including our own genetically engineered mice. We also aim to develop new therapeutic strategies for diseases based on dietary habits and Wakan-yaku by targeting the mechanisms we have clarified.

Research Projects

・Functional analysis of transcription factors that regulate glucose / lipid metabolism
・Study for nutrient metabolism regulation by cell-cell and tissue-tissue interaction
・Evaluation of treatment of lifestyle-related diseases by  natural medicines

 

Researcher in charge