Investigation of the effect of ultraviolet B irradiation on cardiac remodeling and survival after myocardial infarction

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H07282
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Cardiovascular medicine
• Research Institution: Kobe Pharmaceutical University
• Principal Investigator: Mizoguchi Taiji 神戸薬科大学, 薬学部, 研究員 (40806882)
• Research Collaborator: SASAKI NAOTO
• Project Period (FY): 2017-08-25 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 心筋梗塞 / 心不全 / 炎症・免疫反応 / 紫外線照射

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and its related heart failure are major causes of mortality in developed countries. It is important to explore the pathophysiology and develop effective therapeutic approaches to preventing these diseases. Chronic inflammation is critically involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic disease and heart failure. Regulatory T cells have been shown to play a protective role in the development of heart failure by regulating immunoinflammatory responses. Using a mouse model of myocardial infarction, we demonstrated that ultraviolet B irradiation to the skin could reduce the development and related mortality of heart failure after myocardial infarction, associated with systemic expansion of regulatory T cells and suppressed inflammation in the infarcted heart.

Free Research Field

循環器内科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

我が国での心筋梗塞や脳梗塞などの動脈硬化性疾患は、癌についで死亡原因の第２位となっており、これらの発症機序を解明し、有効な治療法や予防法を開発することが切に望まれている。UVB照射は、皮膚疾患治療の病状の改善に有効な治療法として確立されている。近年、動脈硬化性疾患や心筋梗塞後の心不全に対する治療は医療経済を圧迫しているが、UVB照射による治療は経済的負担の少ない治療法と期待される。今後、病態改善の詳細な機序や、病態改善に効果的な波長や照射条件を明らかにすることにより、新規治療法としての臨床応用が期待される。