| Budget Amount *help |
¥3,250,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥750,000)
Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
Fiscal Year 2011: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
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| Research Abstract |
Obesity has been considered as one of the risk factors for lymphedema. However, the evidence indicating such risk is still scarce. In the present study, we examined the influences of obesity on lymph flow. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescent imaging, microscopic observation of hematoxylineosin staining sections and immunohistochemistry, we revealed morphological and functional characteristics of obesity rats lymph vessels , in comparison with normal (control) rats. In addition, we measured the thickness of the portion of the scapula and the femur by MRI. MRI showed that the fat and free-water fractions in the obese rats were greater than those in the control rats. Microscopic examination revealed that the adipose tissue in the obese rats was thicker than that in the controls. Pathognomonically, the adipocytes in the obese rats were larger than those in the controls. Immunohistochemical staining by anti-podoplanin antibody were useful to identify lymphatic vessels, because its endothelial cells were specific positive in anti podoplanin-reaction. Both of obesity and control rats showed the presence of lymphatic vessels in the connective tissue surrounding the adipose tissue. Between these lymphatic vessels, there were no especially-conspicuous differences in the shape. ICG fluorescent imaging showed a linear pattern of lymph flow which is normal sign and the absence of a dermal backflow pattern which is lymphedema sign. In conclusion, obesity alone does not affect lymph flow.
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