2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Neonatal and pediatric research on liver regenerative medicine using umbilical cord blood

Research Project

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Project/Area Number	17H04229
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Pediatrics
Research Institution	Kyushu University
Principal Investigator	Ohga Shouichi 九州大学, 医学研究院, 教授 (60233053)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	田口智章九州大学, 医学研究院, 教授 (20197247) 鈴木淳史九州大学, 生体防御医学研究所, 教授 (30415195) 山座孝義九州大学, 歯学研究院, 准教授 (80304814) 長谷川俊史山口大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授 (90314806)
Project Period (FY)	2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
Keywords	間葉系細胞 / 肝様細胞 / 肝不全 / ウィルソン病 / 高チロシン血症
Outline of Final Research Achievements	We were able to extract stem cells called "mesenchymal stem cells" that have the ability to transform into cells of various organs, such as cartilage, fat, and bone, from umbilical cord blood and naturally extracted baby teeth. We transform them into "liver-like cells" that have abilities similar to those of the liver. To develop a new treatment for congenital liver disease in children, two inherited diseases, Wilson's disease, in which copper accumulates in the liver, and hypertyrosinemia type 1, in which tyrosine, an amino acid, cannot be processed normally in the liver, were reproduced in animal models and treated with mesenchymal stem cells and liver-like cells. Liver-like and mesenchymal stem cells have been found to reduce the symptoms of these liver diseases by complementing the function of the liver and suppressing the production of hepatotoxic substances.
Free Research Field	血液学
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	小児の先天性肝疾患には、肝移植以外に根本的な治療法がないものがいくつかある。しかし小さな体に肝移植という大きな手術は大変な負担になり、また肝臓の状態が悪いため臓器移植の負担に耐えられないことも経験する。間葉系幹細胞および間葉系幹細胞由来の肝様細胞による先天性肝疾患の治療は、肝移植に代わる新たな治療法として、あるいは根治は難しいながらも肝臓の状態を少しでも改善し、より安全に肝移植に進むための治療法として、現在の医学では治療法のない肝疾患を持ったお子さんの新たな治療の選択肢となる可能性がある。