Identification of vascular endothelial stem cells in the eye and their role in diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K20317
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Ophthalmology
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Wakabayashi Taku 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 助教 (20733116)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 血管新生 / 血管内皮細胞 / 幹細胞 / Side population / CD157 / 糖尿病網膜症 / 加齢黄斑変性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are associated with ischemia and pathological angiogenesis, and are leading cause of blindness worldwide. The purpose of this study was to identify stem cells in the pre-existing blood vessels and to elucidate their relationship with DR and AMD. Based on our research, we have newly reported the following data. (1) Identification of the side population (SP) cells in the vascular endothelial cells in the retina and choroid using DNA-binding dye Hoechst. (2) Identification of CD157 (Bst1) as a molecule that is specifically expressed in vascular endothelial SP cells (Cell Stem Cell 2018), (3) CD157-positive vascular endothelial cells are mainly located in veins and contribute to the turnover of blood vessels by initiating angiogenesis as stem cells in the blood vessels. We would like to further progress this research for the development of new therapeutic methods targeting CD157-positive vascular endothelial stem cells.

Free Research Field

眼科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

糖尿病網膜症や加齢黄斑変性症は中途失明に関わる病気であり、現行治療（レーザー、抗VEGF薬、手術）でも病勢を抑えられない場合がある。このため新たな治療法開発を目指す意義がある。
我々は目の網膜血管や脈絡膜血管に存在する幹細胞を今回はじめて発見した。この幹細胞は、毛細血管のターンオーバーにかかわっていることがわかった。糖尿病網膜症や加齢黄斑変性では、網膜や脈絡膜の毛細血管が障害され、病的血管新生が生じて視力が低下する。幹細胞が目の毛細血管を維持する機能を維持できれば、糖尿病網膜症や加齢黄斑変性に対してこれまでと異なる視点で新たな治療法を開発できる可能性があるため、今後もさらに研究を進めていきたい。