News Releases & Research Results How does aging cause lifestyle-related diseases? - A novel treatment strategy using autophagy inhibition -

The results of research conducted by research student Tadashi Yamamuro (Department of Genetics) of the Graduate School of Medicine, Professor Tamotsu Yoshimori (Department of Genetics/Laboratory of Intracellular Membrane Dynamics) of the Graduate School of Medicine/Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, and Professor Iichiro Shimomura (Department of Metabolic Medicine) of the Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University.

• Age-related excess autophagy of adipocytes which have preventive effects on lifestyle-related diseases was demonstrated to impair adipocyte functions and cause lifestyle-related diseases. Additionally, its relevant mechanisms were elucidated.
• Specifically, in a mouse model experiment, the autophagy inhibitor “Rubicon” was demonstrated to decrease with age in adipocytes, in contrast to other organs, such as the liver and the kidneys, and cause excess autophagy, resulting in lifestyle-related diseases due to impaired adipocyte functions.
• This study should promote the development of novel therapeutic strategies for lifestyle-related diseases by inhibiting autophagy on adipocytes.

This program was conducted with the support of the Project for Elucidating and Controlling Mechanisms of Aging and Longevity by AMED.

The results were published in the British scientific journal Nature Communications on August 18.

Yamamuro T., et al. Age-dependent loss of adipose Rubicon promotes metabolic disorders via excess autophagy Nature Communications
DOI：10.1038/s41467-020-17985-w