The Prevention of Fibrosis by the Elucidation of Interaction between Lymphoid Follicles and Activated Liver Stellate Cell.

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H06691
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Gastroenterology
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: Kamimura Hiroteru 新潟大学, 医歯学総合病院, 特任助教 (40706420)
• Research Collaborator: Setsu Toru ; Kamimura Kenya ; Takamura Masaaki ; Terai Shuji
• Project Period (FY): 2017-08-25 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 組織線維化 / 肝筋相関 / 肝腎相関 / サルコペニア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Reactive lymphoid follicle in the liver has been detected in the patients chronic hepatitis C(CH-C),primary biliary cholingitis and autoimmune hepatitis.
The hepatic mass lesion characterized by a dense circumscribed, expansively growing lymphocyte infiltrate with lymph follicles and sometimes germinal centers. Using immunohistological methods, we studied the lymphoid follicles in liver biopsy specimens obtained from the CH-C patients before interferon and DAA therapy. We analyzed various immunocompetent cells in the surrounding interface area that appeared to be differentiated in tissues with lymphoid follicles. Mainly we detected an interesting finding about the relationship with hepatic stellate cells.

Free Research Field

肝不全

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで多額の国費を含めた投じられたC型肝炎の研究・治療について、医療において貢献をうける方は多かったが、これを後方視的に解析を行い、採取された既存の検体や組織を有効利用して、線維化改善のための研究結果を得た。高額の機器を利用することなく貴重な科研費を利用して肝-筋-腎の多臓器相関の結果を得た。老化現象がGDP伸び率1.27倍に対して、医療費1.54倍、介護費2.34倍という超高齢社会問題を引き起こす諸問題の観点から今後組織線維化対策につながる。