Changes in pulmonary endothelial cell and fibroblast properties during bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K09609
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Respiratory organ internal medicine
• Research Institution: Hamamatsu University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Inui Naoki 浜松医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (80402254)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 須田 隆文 浜松医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (30291397)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 間質性肺炎 / 肺線維症 / 線維化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive and lethal disease characterized by damage to the lung parenchyma with excess extracellular matrix deposition. Levels of von Willebrand factor, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and matrix metalloproteinase-12 were elevated in lung endothelial cells isolated from bleomycin-treated mice, which indicated that intratracheal bleomycin administration induced endothelium injury. Expression of fibrogenic mediators was elevated in the cells from bleomycin-treated. When endothelial cells were treated with TGF-β, α-smooth muscle actin expression and collagen production were increased.

Free Research Field

肺線維化

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

肺線維化は上皮細胞の障害によって生じると考えられている。今回の研究によって、ブレオマイシンによる肺障害では、内皮細胞もダメージを受けており、この障害された肺血管内皮細胞は、内皮機能の低下していること、TGF-βなど種々の刺激への感受性が高く、血管内皮細胞が肺の線維化が進行していく一因となっている可能性が示唆された。