Identification of vascular endothelial stem cells and their potential role in ocular angiogenesis

• Project/Area Number: 26893138
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Ophthalmology
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Wakabayashi Taku 大阪大学, 医学部附属病院, 医員 (20733116)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-08-29 – 2016-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
• Budget Amount: ¥2,990,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥690,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
• Keywords: 血管新生 / 血管内皮細胞 / 血管内皮幹細胞 / 脈絡膜 / 網膜 / Side population / FACS

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Ocular neovascular diseases, including diabetic retinopathy and the neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are the most common cause of severe vision loss worldwide. In this study, we isolated a small population of vascular endothelial stem-like cells in the pre-existing blood vessels which may be a source of new vascular endothelial cells during angiogenesis and may be a target for novel therapeutic strategy for ocular neovascular diseases. We also identified that those specific vascular endothelial cells express specific genes and contribute to neovessel formation in vivo by analyzing transgenic mouse model.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Endothelial side population cells contribute to tumor angiogenesis and anti- angiogenic drug resistance (2016)
  • Author(s): Hisamichi Naito, Taku Wakabayashi, Hiroyasu Kidoya, Fumitaka Muramatsu, Kazuhiro Takara, Daisuke Eino, Keitaro Yamane, Tomohiro Iba, Nobuyuki Takakura
  • Journal Title: Cancer research Volume: -
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Evaluation of PSF1 as a prognostic biomarker for prostate cancer. (2015)
  • Author(s): Tahara H, Naito H, Kise K, Wakabayashi T, Kamoi K, Okihara K, Yanagisawa A, Nakai Y, Nonomura N, Morii E, Miki T, Takakura N
  • Journal Title: Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis Volume: 18 Issue: 1 Pages: 56-62
  • DOI: 10.1038/pcan.2014.46
  • Peer Reviewed / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Presentation] Vascular regeneration (2016)
  • Author(s): Taku Wakabayashi
  • Organizer: The 31st Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress (APAO 2016)
  • Place of Presentation: 台湾
  • Year and Date: 2016-03-24
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] 網膜血管の再生医療 (2016)
  • Author(s): 若林卓
  • Organizer: 第15回日本再生医療学会総会
  • Place of Presentation: 大阪
  • Year and Date: 2016-03-17
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Newly identified vascular endothelial stem-like cells and ocular angiogenesis (2015)
  • Author(s): 若林卓
  • Organizer: 30th Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress
  • Place of Presentation: 広州(中国)
  • Year and Date: 2015-04-01 – 2015-04-04