Detection of Atrial myocardial fibrosis with Infiltration of Epicardial adipose tissue by using Raman scattered light ~New Treatment Strategy for Atrial Fibrillation~

• Project/Area Number: 18K18400
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 90130:Medical systems-related
• Research Institution: Oita University
• Principal Investigator: Abe Ichitaro 大分大学, 医学部, 病院特任助教 (00747595)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2020)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,640,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥840,000); Fiscal Year 2020: ¥520,000 (Direct Cost: ¥400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥120,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000)
• Keywords: 心外膜脂肪 / 心房細動 / ラマン散乱光 / 線維化 / ラマン散乱光分析 / 線維化組織 / 脂肪組織 / ラマンスペクトル / 心房線維化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The volume of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) has been shown to be associated with atrial fibrillation (AF), independent of traditional risk factors. Using left atrial (LA) appendage (LAA) samples obtained from 59 consecutive AF patients during cardiovascular surgery, we recently reported that the severity of fibrotic remodeling of EAT was associated with LA myocardial fibrosis and the progression of AF. We also found that proinflammatory and profibrotic cytokines/chemokines, including interleukin (IL)-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in peri-LA EAT were associated with atrial myocardial fibrosis. The purpose of this study is to detect the crucial portion of the atrial myocardial fibrosis with infiltration of epicardial adipose tissue by using Raman scattered light, as the new treatment strategy for atrial fibrillation.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現状のアブレーションでは，線維化の判別はカテーテル先端からの電位が小さいという情報のみに頼っている。本研究では，ラマン散乱光という新たな技術を取り入れ，局所の線維化のみならず脂肪浸潤まで明らかにする。これまで50%以下であった持続性心房細動アブレーションの成功率を飛躍的に向上させることが可能になる。現在，心房細動アブレーションの施行数は年間4万件を超えており，本研究のもたらす医療経済的波及効果はとても大きい。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] J‐wave change during rewarming therapy for accidental hypothermia (2021)
  • Author(s): Maeda Satoshi、Abe Ichitaro、Zaizen Hirofumi、Takahashi Naohiko
  • Journal Title: Acute Medicine & Surgery Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Pages: 1-4
  • DOI: 10.1002/ams2.628
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Distinctively different predictors for long‐term outcomes between responders and nonresponders who underwent cardiac resynchronization therapy (2020)
  • Author(s): Yufu Kunio、Abe Ichitaro、Kondo Hidekazu、Saito Shotaro、Fukui Akira、Okada Norihiro、Akioka Hidefumi、Shinohara Tetsuji、Teshima Yasushi、Nakagawa Mikiko、Takahashi Naohiko
  • Journal Title: Journal of Arrhythmia Volume: 37 Issue: 1 Pages: 173-181
  • DOI: 10.1002/joa3.12447
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] Epicardial fat and Atrial Fibrillation (2020)
  • Author(s): Ichitaro Abe, Shintaro Kira, Shinji Miyamoto, Naohiko Takahashi
  • Organizer: 84th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Circulation Society
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Histological Assessment of Human Epicardial Adipose Tissue Depending on Its Anatomical Location: Peri-Atrial, Peri-Ventricular, Peri-Coronary, Peri-Pulmonary Vein (2019)
  • Author(s): Ichitaro Abe
  • Organizer: 第66回日本不整脈心電学会学術大会
• [Book] 不整脈2019 (2019)
  • Author(s): 安部 一太郎（杉本恒明, 井上博 編集）
  • Total Pages: 238
  • Publisher: メディカルレビュー社