Potential of vitamin A and vitamin D as the therapeutic drug for minimal change nephrotic syndrome

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K10081
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Pediatrics
• Research Institution: Kansai Medical University
• Principal Investigator: KANEKO Kazunari 関西医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (00214453)
• Research Collaborator: KINO jiro ; AKAGAWA yuko ; TSUJI shoji
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: ビタミンA / ビタミンD / ポドサイト / 微小変化型ネフローゼ症候群 / PANラット

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It is postulated that the aberrant molecular expressions on podocytes related to the cytoskeleton as an etiology of the minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) in children. Recent observations revealed that vitamin A and vitamin D have direct actions on podocytes. Taken together, we explored the potential of vitamin A and vitamin D as the therapeutic drug for MCNS. Firstly, we confirmed that vitamin A and vitamin D alleviated the amount of proteinuria in animal model of MCNS induced by puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN) injection. Secondly, the aberrant molecular expressions including CD80 on human cultured podocytes induced by PAN were restored by adding vitamin A into the medium.
In conclusion, it is suggested that vitamin A and vitamin D have potential as the therapeutic agents for MCNS as they showed anti-proteinuric effect on MCNS model rats via direct actions on podocytes.

Free Research Field

小児科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

小児の特発性ネフローゼ症候群は血中の蛋白が大量に尿に漏れる疾患でステロイドホルモンが著効する。しかし長期に投与せざるをえないため、小児患者は成長障害など副作用に悩まされる。近年、ビタミンAやビタミンDは腎臓の細胞に有用な作用をもたらすことが報告されている。そこでステロイドホルモン投与量を減らすためにビタミンAやビタミンDの特発性ネフローゼ症候群治療薬としての可能性を探った。
その結果、モデル動物（ラット）においてビタミンAやビタミンDは蛋白尿減少効果を発揮した。したがって今後、ステロイドホルモンと併用することでステロイドホルモンの投与量が減らせる可能性が示唆された。