News Releases & Research Results Prostaglandin pathway associated with lifestyle-related diseases - Efficacy of aspirin and EP4 antagonist as antimetabolite drug candidates -

The results of collaborative research conducted by Professor Yukihiko Sugimoto and Assistant Professor Tomoaki Inazumi of the Graduate School of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Professor Makoto Murakami of the Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Professor Junji Saruwatari, Professor Yuichi Oike, Professor Emeritus Yutaka Sasaki of the Graduate School of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, and Professor Emeritus Yasuhiro Ogata of the Japanese Red Cross Kumamoto Health Care Center.

• Bioactive lipid prostaglandin (PG)E₂, produced in adipose tissue, was demonstrated for the first time in the world to promote lipolysis and fibrosis via its receptor EP4 and lead to ectopic fat deposition in the liver, resulting in lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes.
• The results of this research project should lead to new preventive and treatment methods for lifestyle-related diseases.

This program was implemented with the support of the Advanced Research & Development Programs for Medical Innovation (AMED-CREST) by AMED.

The results were published in the American scientific journal Cell Reports on October 14.

Inazumi T., et al. Prostaglandin E₂-EP4 axis promotes lipolysis and fibrosis in adipose tissue leading to ectopic fat deposition and insulin resistance Cell Reports
DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108265