Basic study of the autologous cartilage graft with the induced membrane method

• Project/Area Number: 18K16987
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56070:Plastic and reconstructive surgery-related
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Senoo Takaya 岡山大学, 大学病院, 助教 (90509465)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2020)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥900,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥2,340,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥540,000)
• Keywords: induced membrane / 軟骨移植

Outline of Final Research Achievements

For the purpose of improving long-term stability and suppressing tissue absorption after autologous cartilage graft, we attempted to apply the induced membrane method, which has already been generalized in bone graf, to cartilage graft. In the prepared induced membrane, surrounding angiogenesis and VEGF expression were confirmed. There was an impression that type II collagen remained more in the short term in costal cartilage graft model using the induced membrane method, but the effect of the induced membrane method was not observed in long-term CT images and histological changes. On the other hand, the presence of perichondrium clearly acts to suppress the absorption of cartilage tissue, suggesting the importance of adding a function similar to perichondrium to the membranous structure.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

各種再建治療の材料の一つに自身の軟骨があり、特に外表面見の形を維持するため用いられる。しかし、移植組織は一部が吸収されるため、時に形態の維持が困難となる事が問題であった。今回、既に骨移植治療で実用化されているinduced membrane法を応用し、軟骨の長期安定性向上を試みた。当初期待された軟骨吸収抑制効果は明らかにできなかったが、容易にinduced membraneの誘導は可能であり、また軟骨膜組織の有効性は明らかであったため、両者の機能・構造解析を今後も進めることで、簡便安価で効果的な軟骨保護材料獲得を実現できる可能性がある。