Role of inflammasomes in atherosclerosis and aortic aneurysms

• Project/Area Number: 24790775
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Circulatory organs internal medicine
• Research Institution: Jichi Medical University
• Principal Investigator: USUI Fumitake 自治医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (50585560)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000)
• Keywords: 無菌性炎症 / 自然免疫 / 循環器疾患 / 炎症 / インフラマソーム / 自然炎症 / マクロファージ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In recent years, much attention has been paid to findings that involvement of chronic inflammation in the lifestyle-related diseases, such as hyperlipidemia, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.In this study, we attempted to elucidate the role of inflammasome which is known to be involved in sterile inflammation in theatherosclerosis and aortic aneurysms. Our findings suggest that caspase-1 plays a critical role in vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis. Also, the importance of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the initial inflammatory responses in abdominal aortic aneurysms. Inflammasome is expected to become a therapeutic target for lifestyle-related diseases to clarify the mechanism .

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Inflammasome activation by mitochondrial oxidative stress in macrophages leads to the development of angiotensin II-induced aortic aneurysm (2014)
  • Author(s): Usui F, Shirasuna K, Kimura H, Tatsumi K, Kawashima A, Karasawa T, Yoshimura K, Aoki H, Tsutsui H, Noda T, Sagara J, Taniguchi S, Takahashi M
  • Journal Title: Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol Volume: 35 Issue: 1 Pages: 127-136
  • DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.114.303763
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] ASC in Renal Collecting Duct Epithelial Cells Contributes to Inflammation and Injury after Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction. (2014)
  • Author(s): Komada T, Usui F, Shirasuna K, Kawashima A, Kimura H, Karasawa T, Nishimura S, Sagara J, Noda T, Taniguchi S, Muto S, Nagata D, Kusano E, Takahashi 7.
  • Journal Title: The American journal of pathology Volume: 184 Pages: 1287-1298
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Critical role of caspase-1 in vascular inflammation and development of atherosclerosis in Western diet-fed apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. (2012)
  • Author(s): Usui F, Shirasuna K, Kimura H, Tatsumi K, Kawashima A, Karasawa T, Hida S, Sagara J, Taniguchi S, Takahashi M.
  • Journal Title: Biochem Biophys Res Commun. Volume: 425 Issue: 2 Pages: 162-168
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2012.07.058
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] 大動脈瘤形成におけるNLRP3インフラマソームの役割 (2015)
  • Author(s): 臼井文武、木村博昭、唐澤直義、川島晃、高橋将文
  • Organizer: 第46回日本動脈硬化学会総会
  • Place of Presentation: 東京
  • Year and Date: 2015-07-10 – 2015-07-11
• [Presentation] 大動脈瘤形成におけるNLRP3インフラマソームの役割の解明 (2015)
  • Author(s): 臼井文武、木村博昭、唐澤直義、川島晃、高橋将文
  • Organizer: 第35回日本炎症・再生医学会
  • Place of Presentation: 沖縄
  • Year and Date: 2015-07-01 – 2015-07-03
• [Presentation] 腹部大動脈瘤の形成におけるインフラマソームの役割 (2012)
  • Author(s): 臼井文武、木村博昭、白砂孔明、谷口俊一郎、高橋将文.
  • Organizer: 日本炎症・再生医学会
  • Place of Presentation: 福岡
• [Presentation] 腹部大動脈瘤の形成におけるインフラマソームの役割の解明 (2012)
  • Author(s): 13. 臼井文武、木村博昭、白砂孔明、谷口俊一郎、高橋将文.
  • Organizer: 日本心血管内分泌代謝学会
  • Place of Presentation: 東京
• [Book] 疾患モデルの作製と利用-脂質代謝異常と関連疾患<<下巻>> (2015)
  • Author(s): 臼井文武、高橋将文章
  • Publisher: 株式会社エル・アイ・シー
• [Remarks] 自治医科大学炎症・免疫研究部ホームページ
  • URL: http://www.jichi.ac.jp/inflammation/index.html
• [Remarks] 炎症・免疫研究部
  • URL: http://www.jichi.ac.jp/bioimaging/