#gut microbial function

Jun Ogawa

Professor, Laboratory of Fermentation Physiology and Applied Microbiology, Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University

Professor Jun Ogawa covers the following areas of his research on gut microbiota.

Gut microbiota as a metabolic organ, and ‘postbiotics’ as novel materials promoting human health and useful as functional foods and pharmaceuticals.

Gut microbial food component metabolism

Lipid - Fatty acid

DNA/RNA – Nucleotide/Nucleoside

Protein – Amino acid (D-amino acid)

Polysaccharide - Sugars

Plant derived bio-active molecules – polyphenols, glucosinolates, urolithins, etc.

Function expression by gut microorganisms

Effects of bacterial cell components themselves

Function expression by interaction between microbial cell components (LPS, etc.) and host receptors (TLR, etc.)

Immunomodulation, etc.

Effect of fermentation product of microbes

Production of short-chain fatty acids by fermentation of dietary fiber (polysaccharides)

Metabolic control (anti-obesity) / anti-inflammatory action by acetic acid / propionic acid / butyric acid

Effects of microbial metabolic activity and metabolites (metabolites of food components, postbiotics)

Enhancement / suppression of host metabolism

Effects through metabolism not found in the host

Relevant publications by Professor Ogawa and his colleagues

    Novel PUFA-saturation metabolism found in Lactobacillus plantarum

Ø  Kishino, S. et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 110, 17808-17813 (2013)

    Enhancing gut hormone secretion & anti-diabetic activity

Ø  Goto J. et al, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 459, 597–603 (2015)

    Kim M. et al, FASEB J., 31, 5036-5048 (2017)

Ø  Yonejima Y., et al, Prog. Med., 37, 1105-1111 (2017)

Ø  Miyamoto J., et al, Nat. Commun.10, 4007 (2019)

    Hypolipidemic effect

Ø  Nanthirudjanar T., et al, Lipids, 50, 1093-1102 (2015)

    Anti-inflammatory and immune controlling effects

Ø  Bergamo P,. et al,  J. Funct. Foods, 11, 192-202 (2014)

Ø  Ohue-Kitano R,. et al, FASEB J., 32, 304-318 (2018)

    Intestinal and gingival epithelial barrier protection

Ø  Miyamoto J. et al, J. Biol. Chem., 290, 2902–2918 (2015)

Ø  Yamada M. et al., Sci. Rep., 8, 9008 (2018)

    Anti-oxidative effects

Ø  Furumoto H., et al, Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol., 296, 1-9 (2016)

    Anti Helicobacter pylori activity

Ø  Matsui H., et al, Helicobacter, 22, e12430 (2017)

    Gut microbiota confer host resistance to obesity by metabolizing dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Ø  Miyamoto J., et al, Nature Comm, 10:4007, 2019

Further information