February 7, 2024
Keio University School of Medicine
DeNA Life Science, Inc.
Tsumura & Co.
A research team from the Center for Kampo Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tsumura & Co., and DeNA Life Science, Inc. has identified genomic regions associated with cold sensitivity. The team, which includes Researcher Xuefeng Wu (at the time of the research: Doctoral Programs, Graduate School of Medicine, Keio University), Project Lecturer Tetsuo Yoshino, Professor Emeritus Masaru Mimura, Akinori Nishi (Tsumura & Co.), and Sachiko Ishida (DeNA Life Science, Inc.), conducted the first comprehensive genomic analysis of self-reported symptoms of cold sensitivity on approximately 1,200 adult Japanese women who consented to participate in the study under MYCODE Research.
Cold sensitivity is a condition known to cause a sensation of coldness in the lower back, hands, and feet, often accompanied by pain. It is more common in women, and its causes are thought to be multifactorial, including imbalances in female hormones and autonomic nervous system dysfunction. The results of this study suggest that the single nucleotide polymorphism rs1869201 near the KCNK2 gene and the genetic polymorphism rs4818919 on the TRPM2 gene are associated with the risk of cold sensitivity. These single nucleotide polymorphisms are thought to increase the risk of cold sensitivity by altering the expression levels of proteins associated with the condition.
Since the proteins derived from these genes are related not only to temperature but also to pain sensitivity, this may explain why patients with cold sensitivity often have various comorbid pain disorders. Furthermore, some crude drugs have been reported to affect the action of these proteins, which is considered to be of great significance in elucidating the mechanism by which Kampo medicines are effective for cold sensitivity.
These research findings were published in the international scientific journal Scientific Reports on January 22, 2024 (JST). Additionally, based on these findings, a patent application has been filed for a method of determining cold sensitivity and its types.
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