Research Projects

• 基盤研究(B), 01 Apr. 2024 - 31 Mar. 2027, 24K00362, 異常な空腹ストレスによる摂食制御機構の破綻－思春期の摂食障害と次世代への影響－, 藤原 智子; 三枝 理博; 大黒 多希子; 安藤 仁; 細野 隆; 小野 政徳; 中田 理恵子; 藤原 浩, 日本学術振興会, 科学研究費助成事業, 京都ノートルダム女子大学, 18590000, 14300000, 4290000, kaken

  対象リソースIRI
• 基盤研究(C), 01 Apr. 2022 - 31 Mar. 2025, 22K02181, 健康長寿社会の実現を促す葉酸の機能解析と食生活への応用, 中田 理恵子, 日本学術振興会, 科学研究費助成事業, 奈良女子大学, 4160000, 3200000, 960000, kaken

  対象リソースIRI
• 挑戦的研究(開拓), 09 Jul. 2021 - 31 Mar. 2025, 21K18297, 思春期の欠食とダイエットで性差をもって“リプログラミング”される食欲と代謝効率, 藤原 智子; 三枝 理博; 藤原 浩; 大黒 多希子; 堀家 慎一; 安藤 仁; 中田 理恵子; 程 肇; 水本 泰成, 日本学術振興会, 科学研究費助成事業, 京都ノートルダム女子大学, 25740000, 19800000, 5940000, kaken

  対象リソースIRI
• 2018 - Mar. 2021, Coinvestigator, 概日時計の乱れが誘発する若年女性の生殖機能障害の実態とその機序の解析－朝食欠食とダイエットに着目して－, 日本医療研究開発機構（AMED）, 女性の健康の包括的支援実用化研究事業
• 2014 - Mar. 2019, Coinvestigator, 次世代機能性農林水産物・食品の開発－運動・身体機能維持を促す次世代機能性食品の創製－, 内閣府, 戦略的イノベーション創造プログラム
• Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C), 2009 - 2011, 21500758, Development of new fermented food includingγ-amino butyric acid using various scallop, ISOBE Yuka; NAKATA Rieko; HIRASHIMA Madoka, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Mie University, 4420000, 3400000, 1020000, The new fermented food made from shellfish includingγ-amino butyric acid(GABA) was developed using the strain isolated from various food in our laboratory. The optimal condition for producing GABA was clarified. Manufacturing conditions of fermented food, such as composition of materials and sanitary pretreatment, were established. It was clarified that production of fermented food used by Japanese scallop, noble scallop(hiogi-gai), and Japanese pearl oyster was possible. The manufactured fermented food had higher GABA content than some commercial products containing GABA., kaken

  対象リソースIRI
• Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B), 2007 - 2009, 19300250, Elucidation of mechanism on "French Paradox" toward prevention of lifestyle-related diseases, INOUE Hiroyasu; NAKATA Rieko, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Nara Women's University, 19630000, 15100000, 4530000, Dairy oral intake of resveratrol, a phytoalexin contained in red wine, reduces plasma triglyceride concentration, and upregulates hepatic expression of PPAR-α responsive genes in the wild-type but not PPARα knockout mice. Moreover, long-term intake of 0.02% resveratrol with high fat diet prevents body weight gain observed after 46 weeks and accumulation of abdominal white adipose tissue, and improves survival of mice. These findings will account for a novel mechanism that may afford beneficial effects of preventing lifestyle-related diseases.
  Several natural chemicals such as resveratrol have been identified as suppressors of COX-2 expression and activators of PPARs. These two properties targeted to COX-2 and PPARs will be useful in evaluating functional food components against lifestyle-related diseases. In this context, we evaluated oils from various plants in cell-based transfection assays, and found that six essential oils from thyme, rose, clove, fennel, eucalyptus, and bergamot, have these properties. From thyme oil, we identified carvacrol as a major component of the activator of PPARα and γ and suppressor of COX-2 expression, and PPARγ-dependent suppression of COX-2 promoter activity was observed in response to carvacrol treatment. These results will be important in understanding the anti-lifestyle-related disease properties of essential oils., kaken

  対象リソースIRI
• Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C), 2007 - 2008, 19500707, Survey and experimental verification of adverse effects of dietary habits on reproductive functions in post-adolescence women, FUJIWARA Tomoko; NAKATA Rieko; FUJIWARA Hiroshi, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Ashiya College, 4550000, 3500000, 1050000, 性成熟過程にある女性の食生活は以後の母性を担う時期の女性のQOLに重要な影響を与えるという新しい着想から、悪影響を及ぼす可能性のある食生活習慣の因子を抽出することを目的として、18-20歳の女子学生を対象に食事習慣を含む基本的な生活習慣、体型認識やダイエット行動の実態、婦人科愁訴をふくむ身体症状についてのアンケート調査を平成19年度に引き続いて行った。また奈良女子大学の倫理委員会に諮り、承認を得た上でボランティア学生を募って3ヶ月に及ぶ食事調査を実施し、合わせて基礎体温や婦人科愁訴などのデータも収集した。食事内容についてはデジタルカメラで撮影した記録をもとに詳細な栄養分析を行い、朝食の欠食とともに生殖機能に障害をもたらす可能性のある食習慣について調査した。その結果、女子学生の食生活上の問題点として新たに、ファストフードやコンビニエンスストアで売られている加工食品を多用するといった他の有害な食習慣を有していることが示された。ファストフードや加工食品の摂取頻度の多いグループにおいても月経痛の程度が強いことが観察され、食習慣が将来の婦人科疾患の誘因になる可能性を支持する結果が示された。一方、朝食欠食についても月経周期の異常すなわち性機能に機能的に悪影響を及ぼす可能性が示されたが、さらにファストフードや加工食品の多用者に比べ朝食を欠食している学生に体調不良を訴える者が多いことが明らかとなった。以上の知見より一日の活動の最初の段階での飢餓状態を生じる朝食の欠食は女子学生のQOLに影響を及ぼすもっとも重要な因子のひとつである可能性が示唆された。本研究にて得られた結果は性成熟完成期女性に対してより効果的な教育プログラムの開発を進める上で意義ある知見といえる。, kaken

  対象リソースIRI
• 萌芽研究, 2006 - 2007, 18650213, ミラクリン蛋白質による味覚変革機構の検討, 井上 裕康; 中田 理恵子, 日本学術振興会, 科学研究費助成事業, 奈良女子大学, 3300000, 3300000, ミラクリンは酸味を甘味に変換する蛋白質として知られている。しかし、ミラクリンがどのような分子機構によって、味覚変革を引き起こすかは不明である。一方、味覚受容体として、甘味を感知する受容体(T1R2/T1R3)、酸味を感知する受容体などが見出されている。これらの物質レベルでの知見から、ミラクリン蛋白質と甘味受容体、あるいは酸味受容体との相互作用が味覚変革の分子機構である可能性が高い。本研究では、味覚変革機構の解明を目標とし、まず味覚変革蛋白質ミラクリンを活性のある形で、大量に発現するシステムの構築を進めた。その結果、世界で初めて、大腸菌を用いた活性型ミラクリンの発現、精製に成功した(論文投稿準備中)。これは今まで、ミラクリンの味覚修飾作用には糖鎖が必要であるとする従来の定説を覆すものであるが、同時にミラクリンが活性を持つためには、ホモ二量体を形成することが必須であることを示している。なお糖鎖を持つシロイヌナズナを用いた発現系ではほぼ全てが二量体を形成するのに対し、糖鎖を持たない大腸菌を用いた発現系では、二量体を形成するものが少ないことがわかり、ミラクリンの糖鎖は二量体形成の安定性に寄与することが示唆された。一方、甘味受容体を培養細胞に発現する系の構築を行い、免疫学的に蛋白質の発現を確認した。今後は、受容体蛋白質と組換えミラクリンとの相互作用を検討していく予定である。なお、本研究の内容は平成19年度の「ひらめき、ときめきサイエンス」・「食のライフサイエンス」として採択され、高校生向けに研究の説明を行った。, kaken

  対象リソースIRI
• Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C), 2005 - 2006, 17500540, Study on estimation of biological function of folate -the importance of folate as prophylactic factor of arteriosclerosis-, NAKATA Rieko, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Nara Women's University, 3600000, 3600000, Folate plays an important role in the biosynthesis of nucleic acids and amino acids. It has been known that folate deficiency induces the inhibition of cell proliferation, and the increase of homocysteine, which one of the risk factor of vascular diseases. In this study, we investigated the effect on vascular function and the regulatory mechanism of homocysteine, which is increased during folate deficiency.
  The folate-deficient rats received an amino acid-defined, and folate-deficient diet. The control rats were fed the same diet supplemented with 8 mg/kg diet. The rats were killed by collecting the blood at the 4, 6, 8 weeks, and the liver and vessel was excised.
  The concentrations of folate derivatives in plasma and liver of folate-deficient rats were significantly decreased. On the other hand, the concentrations of homocysteine on plasma and liver during folate deficiency were significantly increased. In vessel, the content of TBARS was increased, and the contents of glutathione and vitamin C were decreased. In folate-deficient rats, the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) in plasma was significantly decreased, and the protein of endothelial NO synthase was decreased by detection of western blotting. These results suggest that the increase of homocysteine during folate deficiency induced oxidative stress in vessel following dysfunction, which NO synthesis is deceased.
  Secondly, it was examined that the change in gene expression of homocysteine metabolic enzymes during folate deficiency by real time RT-PCR method. In the folate-deficient rats, the levels of mRNA were significantly decreased in 5,10-methylelnetetrabhydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), methionine synthase (MS) and cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS), which are involved in the metabolism of homocysteine, compared to the control rats. These results suggest that the increase of homocysteine during folate deficiency is regulated by gene expressions of MTHFR, MS and CBS., kaken

  対象リソースIRI
• Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B), 2003 - 2005, 15402001, Investigative Studies on Women's lives and their Living Environments in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China, IWASAKI Masami; SETO Akiko; MIYASAKA Yasuko; KUBO Hiroko; NAKATA Rieko; HATTORI Noriko, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Nara Women's University, 12200000, 12200000, We visited Urumchi, Kashgar, Atush, Hami, Turfan and Hotan, from 2003 to 2005 and aimed to conduct investigations on actual conditions of Uygur women and their living environments. In our investigation, we principally conducted oral interviews and observation in house visits, and made photographic records.
  In conducting investigations, we were divided into groups according to each one's specialty, such as families, genders, cloth-ing, dietary culture, and living environments. In order to comprehend the situation of the region, we invited the cooperation of teachers of secondary school and Xinjian University, instructors of museums and foreign students of Uygur people.
  We report about the following contents of our investigation about which we have formed a viewpoint.
  1)Children's education 2)Ordinary lives and Religious lives like Ramadan 3)Expression of costumes as Muslim 4)Traditional customs and their changes in Family relations and lives.
  Main problems of school-education are that the high school attendance rate has declined and that students who are not able to go to school have been increased. In particular, among the poor farmers' households that account for 80% of the region, parents do not have higher expectations for their children, thus they prevent their children from going to school.
  Their main agent of child-rearing is the mother. Mothers raise children by receiving sufficient support from relatives, especially their own mothers.
  Uygur people maintain the culture of gender division of domestic labor. Particularly Muslims maintain a strong patriarchal system so that their educational expectations for daughters are lower compared to sons., kaken

  対象リソースIRI
• Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C), 2002 - 2003, 14580140, Study on estimation of biological function of folate -The importance of folate intake during pregnancy -, NAKATA Reiko, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Nara Women's University, 3600000, 3600000, Folate is essential for DNA synthesis and cell proliferation. Specially, the folate deficiency of the maternal body effects on the health of progeny during pregnancy and lactation, that DNA synthesis is activated. It is expected that folate deficiency induce the inhibition of cell proliferation, and result in cell death (apoptosis). In this study, it was examined apoptosis after folate deficiency in rats of the growth, by measuring the activity of caspase-3, which is specifically activated in apoptosis. Caspase-3 activities in bone narrow were significantly higher than the activities of corresponding control rats at the 4, 6 and 8 weeks after folate deficiency. Furthermore, positive signals for apoptosis by immuno-histochemical method (TUNEL method) were detected in bone marrow of folate-deficient rats. These results were shown that the increase of caspase-3 activity occurred in bone marrow during folate deficiency, and was followed by inducing apoptosis.
  Secondly, it was examined that the effect of folate intake during pregnancy and lactation in rats on the health of progeny. The pregnant rats received folate-deficient diet, or low-folate diet, or control diet during pregnancy and lactation, In folate-deficient rats, the survival of progeny was only 30%, and the body weight gain was lower than the low-folate and control rats, The folate contents in liver of progeny were influenced by the folate intake of maternal body. It was followed that the increases of caspase-3 activity in liver, spleen and bone marrow were appeared, and resulted in apoptosis. Moreover, the increases of homocysteine concentration in liver and plasma, and TBARS in liver were observed in progeny, and they expected the promotion of oxidant stress, Therefore, these results were shown that the decrease of folate intake during pregnancy and lactation in rats largely damaged the health of progeny, and that the folate intake during pregnancy was important to the health promotion of progeny., kaken

  対象リソースIRI
• Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B), 2000 - 2002, 12572041, Comparative study on Japanese and Chinese women and their living environments -Comparative study conducted in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China, and Japan-, IWASAKI Masami; MIYASAKA Yasuko; SETO Akiko; KATSUTA Keiko; NAKATA Rieko; KUBO Hiroko, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Nara Women's University, 14000000, 14000000, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China lies just halfway between Europe and Japan. We aimed to conduct investigations on the actual conditions of Uygur women and their lives. Because the population of Uygur people is the largest among the forty-seven minor ethnic groups in the region. In conducting investigations, we were divided into groups according to each one's specialty, such as families, gender, clothing, dietary culture and living environments, and we decided to compare a city and its surrounding area (a rural community), tradition and changes, and South Xinjiang and North Xinjiang. In order to comprehend the situation of the region, we invited the cooperation of researchers in the Center for Research on Women at Xinjiang University as our counterparts.
  In 2000, we visited Urumchi and Turfan, and investigated the roles of the female staff of educational organizations, differences in the lives among typical ethnic groups, the labor of women who engaged in traditional industries, their tasks at home. In 2001, we visited Kashgar and Hotan, recorded the conditions of deeply religious lives connected with Islamic culture, and conducted a study on them. In 2002, in order to compare lives in South Xinjiang and North Xinjiang, we visited Yining, adjacent to Russia (the former Soviet Union) and investigated mostly farmers' lives. As a result, we witnessed remarkable affluence due to trade with Russia and other regions, and westernized freedom for various aspects, of then-lives, such as their home interiors and preferences for doming, unlike South Xinjiang. As the results of our comparison between the city and its surrounding area, and South Xinjiang and North Xinjiang, it was learned that close family relations common among Uygur people continued, but religious characteristics changed drastically in some regions. There were also problems, such as difficulty in the coexistence of international aspects with ethnical aspects., kaken

  対象リソースIRI
• Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C), 2000 - 2001, 12680131, Study on estimation of biological funciton of folate, NAKATA Rieko, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Nara Women's University, 3600000, 3600000, We investigated change of homocysteine concentrations in rat tissues, methyl group, metabolism, peroxidant and antioxidants during folate deficiency, for the purpose of esitimation of biological function of folate. Homocysteine concentrations of plasma, liver and heart of folate deficient rats were significantly higher than those of control rats. Thereforem these of kidney and brain did not differ significantly between folate deficiency group and control group. S-adenosylrnethionine(SAM), S-adenosylhomocysteine(SAH) hydrolase activity and L-methionine-S-adenosyl(MA) transferase activity in liver of rats fed folate deficient diet were significant higher, SAH and SAM/SAH ratio were lower than in liver of control rats. But in brain, these values did not differ among two groups. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances in liver, heart and kidney of folate deficient rats were significantly higher than the controls after 6-weeks feeding period, we measured antioxidants during folate deficiency. Vitamin C concentrations of liver, heart and plasma were significantly lower than the contols. Vitamin E of liver and plasma, and glutathione of liver in folate deficient rats were significantly lower than those in control rats. Glutathione peroxidase activity was not significantly altered. It was shown that methyl group methbolism was altered in liver, but not in brain, during folate deficiency. Further, these data demonstrate promotion of oxidative stress in liver, kidney and heart of folate deficient rats. However, folate deficient did not promote oxidative stress in brain., kaken

  対象リソースIRI
• 奨励研究(A), 1998 - 1999, 10780081, 特異的定量法に基づく葉酸欠乏症の発症機序の解明, 中田 理恵子, 日本学術振興会, 科学研究費助成事業, 奈良女子大学, 1900000, 1900000, 申請者は、葉酸欠乏症の発症機序、さらには生体での葉酸の機能を、化学的に正確な量を基礎として解明するための研究を推進している。本年度は、葉酸代謝とビタミンB_<12>との関係を検討した。ビタミンB_<12>は葉酸と同様に、DNA合成や細胞増殖にとって必須のビタミンであり、その欠乏によって葉酸代謝に何らかの変化をひき起こすと考えられているが、物質レベルで相互作用の検討は十分になされていない。そこで、生体内での葉酸とビタミンB_<12>の関係を明らかにするため、葉酸欠乏(F群)、ビタミンB_<12>欠乏(B群)、葉酸とビタミンB_<12>欠乏(BF群)ラットを各々6週間飼育して、その欠乏過程における葉酸誘導体量、ビタミンB_<12>量、葉酸代謝に関連する物質を定量した。肝臓中の葉酸誘導体は、還元条件下で肝臓より抽出した後、HPLCにて分離し、電気化学的に検出する方法により特異的に定量した。F群とBF群では、葉酸誘導体量が2週目より有意に減少した。また、B群においても、葉酸を十分摂取しているにもかかわらず、4週目から葉酸誘導体量の有意な減少がみられた。一方、肝臓中のビタミンB_<12>量は、B群、BF群において4週目より大きく減少したが、F群では減少はみられなかった。以上のように、ビタミンB_<12>の欠乏は葉酸誘導体量の減少をひき起こすが、葉酸の欠乏はビタミンB_<12>量に変化を与えないことが明らかになった。さらに、葉酸を基質とし、ビタミンB_<12>を補酵素として生体内で働くメチオニンシンターゼ活性を測定した結果、補酵素であるビタミンB_<12>の欠乏によって、B群とBF群において2週目より有意に減少した。また、肝臓中のヌクレオチド量は、F群、BF群において有意な変化がみられたが、B群では変化がみられなかった。F群、BF群においては、ヌクレオチド量のインバランスを反映して、肝臓中のDNA、RNA量の減少がみられた。, kaken

  対象リソースIRI
• Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C), 1997 - 1999, 09680060, Survey of fibrynolytic enzymes in food materials and examination of their effects in vivo, TOYOHARA Masako; NAKATA Reiko; TOYOHARA Haruhiko; MURATA Michiyo, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, KACHO JUNIOR COLLEGE, 2600000, 2600000, The purpose of the present study was to search fibrinolytic activities among various food materials by using the fibrinolytic assay and fibrinogen zymography originally devised by the authors. The author also made attempts to examine the intake of the active enzyme in the blood of animal by oral administration and the reduction of the activity during curing.
  Among more than 200 materials examined, the author successfully detected the strong activities in mushrooms in addition to natto as reported. Judged from the inhibitory effect by 1,10-phenanthroline, most of the activities from mushrooms were supposed to be derived from metalloproteinases. The most heat stable activity was found in edible mushroom basidiomycete (Grifola frondosa), which remained after short period heating at 90℃. Saute was shown to be the most suitable cooking to reserve the activity.
  Purification of the enzyme by conventional ion exchange chromatographies from the fruiting body of basidiomycete was hampered possibly because the enzyme formed a complex with glycoproteins with various isoelectric points. By gel permeation chromatographies, the enzyme molecule was eluted as a relatively low molecular weight molecule (approximately 20kDa). The intake of the enzyme into blood by oral administration was examined by using antibodies raised against whole extract of basidiomycete, but significant intake was not immunologically detected. The cDNA possibly encoding the enzyme was cloned by PCR method using primers designed form the report determining the amino acid sequence of the enzyme (J. Biol. Chem., 272, 30032-30039(1999)). The successful cloning of the enzyme would lead the bacterial production of the large amount of the enzyme as recombinant proteins., kaken

  対象リソースIRI
• 奨励研究(A), 1996 - 1996, 08780012, 特異的定量法に基づいた葉酸所要量の評価に関する研究, 中田 理恵子, 日本学術振興会, 科学研究費助成事業, 奈良女子大学, 1000000, 1000000, 水溶性ビタミンである葉酸は、プリン,ピリミジン,アミノ酸,タンパク質など、生体の非常に重要な物質の合成に関与しており、生命の維持に基本的でかつ非常に重要なビタミンの1つである。しかしながら、その定量法すら十分に確立しておらず、摂取量およびその必要量も推測の域をでていないのが現状である。そこで、本研究においては、葉酸の全誘導体の特異的な定量法を確立を試みた。さらに、確立した定量法を用いて、生体内の葉酸、特に代謝の中心である肝臓中の濃度および分布を明らかにすることを目的とした。
  1,葉酸およびその誘導体の定量法の確立
  葉酸は、生体内では還元型となり、メチル化,ホルミル化等の反応により、8種類の誘導体として存在しているが、微量かつ化学的に非常に不安定であるため、その定量法すら十分に確立していなかった。本研究では、HPLC(カラム:μBondasphere Phenyl,移動相:50mM KH_2PO_4と0.1mM EDTAを含む12%メタノール(pH3.5)と電気化学検出器(+750mV,Ag/AgCl)を用いる方法により、8種類の葉酸誘導体(テトラヒドロ葉酸(THF),5-メチル-THF,5-ホルミル-THF,10-ホルミル-THF,5,10-メテニル-THF,5,10-メチレン-THF,プテロイルグルタミン酸,ジヒドロ葉酸)を特異的かつ高感度に定量することができた。
  2,肝臓中の葉酸誘導体の定量
  この確立した定量法を用いて、生体内の葉酸代謝の中心である肝臓中の葉酸誘導体の濃度およびその分布を明らかにすることを試みた。その結果、肝臓中には、6種類の葉酸誘導体が存在しており、10-ホルミル-THFが全体の53%をしめ、THF,5-メチル-THF,プテロイルグルタミン酸が全体の約15%であった。, kaken

  対象リソースIRI
• 米胚乳タンパク質の機能性評価
• 2023, Principal investigator, 米胚乳タンパク質の機能性評価
• 2022, Principal investigator, 米胚乳タンパク質の機能性評価
• 2021 - 2025, Coinvestigator, ペプチドテクノロジーを基盤とした米タンパク質由来の新規高機能中分子ペプチド素材開発, 科学技術振興機構, 産学共創プラットフォーム共同研究推進プログラム（OPERA）
• 2021, Principal investigator, 米胚乳タンパク質の機能性評価
• 基盤研究（C）, 2019 - Mar. 2022, Principal investigator, 健康寿命に寄与する葉酸の機能解析と食生活への応用‐生涯を通した葉酸摂取の重要性‐
• 基盤研究（B）, 2019 - Mar. 2022, Coinvestigator, 摂食リズムの非同調による時計遺伝子の記憶が誘発する女性生殖機能異常の総合的解析
• 基盤研究（C）, 2019 - Mar. 2023, Coinvestigator, インゲン属雑豆の処理条件と含有レクチンの免疫賦活活性との関連と食生活への応用