Basic Studies of Mineral Nutrition Centered on Magnesium

(JSNFS Award for Excellence in Research (2019))

Abstract

Magnesium (Mg) deficiency is an actual dietary problem in developed countries including Japan. We have studied mineral nutrition centered on Mg using laboratory animals and cultured cells. We evaluated Mg absorption from marine algae and drinking water, and the results indicated that the forms of soluble Mg and sojourn time of Mg in the digestive tract affected Mg absorption. Mg deficiency induced the appearance of mast cells in the liver, a phenomenon that has been linked to the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Comprehensive and non-targeted analysis of metabolites clarified that Mg deficiency disturbs some aspects of metabolism in both the liver and hepatic cell models. Comprehensive and targeted analysis of metals indicated that Mg deficiency affected the hepatic concentration of 8 metals including molybdenum. Mg deficiency increased the hepatic zinc concentration through increased expression of the zinc transporter (Zip14) and metallothionein genes. Mg deficiency increased the hepatic iron concentration by the unresponsive expression of hepcidin gene as a result of BMP signal blunting. Activin B and interleukin-1β enhanced the expression of hepcidin, which is probably one aspect of the pathogenesis of inflammatory anemia.