Strategy of regenerative rehabilitation for articular cartilage

Research Project

Project/Area Number	17K13020
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering
Research Institution	International University of Health and Welfare
Principal Investigator	Yamaguchi Shoki 国際医療福祉大学, 成田保健医療学部, 助教 (00783812)
Project Period (FY)	2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
Budget Amount *help	¥4,030,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥930,000) Fiscal Year 2018: ¥2,340,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥540,000) Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
Keywords	物理刺激 / 運動 / 関節軟骨 / 軟骨再生 / 再生医療 / ラット / 移植・再生医療 / 再生医学 / 細胞・組織 / リハビリテーション / 動物
Outline of Final Research Achievements	The purpose of this study is to verify the effect of physical stimulation to the repair of damaged articular cartilage. An osteochondral defect was created on the knee of Wistar rats. All rats were bred in normal cages in 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, rats were divided into three groups: 4 weeks loading group, 4 weeks tail suspension group, and 4 weeks exercise group. After intervention, all rats were bred in normal cages for 12 weeks and 16 weeks. The cartilage repair score of knee in loading group after 12 weeks were significantly improved compared with exercise group. After 16 weeks, there wasn’t significant difference among three group, but more damaged score were observed in loading group and exercise. The finding might indicate that excessive physiological stimulation were disturb cartilage repair among medium term in repair process, but early weight control were needed for cartilage repair in chronical osteochondral defect rat knee.
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	高齢者の多くが抱える悩みとして関節軟骨の変性や損傷に伴う膝の痛みは、国内のみならず世界的にも根本的な解決法が望まれる問題である。関節軟骨は自然治癒が得られにくい組織であることが知られているが、近年の再生医療の発展に伴い、軟骨組織の再生に対しても強い期待が寄せられている。本研究は軟骨の損傷と修復に力学的な要因が中・長期的な期間ののちにどのように影響しているのかを説明するための一助として意義があり、今後の軟骨再生医療とリハビリテーションの結びつきに関わる研究である。