Unraveling mechanism for the remote effects of vascular inflammation on cognitive dysfunction using a mice model of abdominal aortic aneurysm

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K09233
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General internal medicine(including psychosomatic medicine)
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: SON Bo-Kyung 東京大学, 高齢社会総合研究機構, 特任助教 (20625256)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 伊藤 公一 東京大学, 大学院農学生命科学研究科(農学部), 特任准教授 (50330874)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 血管炎症 / 認知機能低下 / 慢性炎症 / 臓器老化の階層構造

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the present study, to unravel the hierarchical pathway from vascular pathologies to cognitive dysfunction, we examined effects of abdominal aortic aneurysm induced by inflammation on cognitive function, using a reliable mouse model. Significant decline of cognitive function was seen in vascular aneurysm induced mice, compared to 12 months-old male sham mice. Furthermore, decrease in number of neuronal cells and increase in number of activated microglia were observed, implying the remote effects of vascular aneurysm on neuronal inflammation and aging. Mechanistically, augment of circulating interleukins contributes this inflammatory expansion from vessel to hippocampus.

Free Research Field

老年学　老年医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では血管病変を上流ととらえた認知機能低下への階層関係について、慢性炎症を中心に明らかにした。今後、更なる研究により、中核因子の同定やその因子の制御による病変の抑制および機能改善が明らかにすることで、老年疾患の連鎖を断ち切る新たな治療策を提案でき、健康寿命延長に寄与すると期待できる。