The role of alveolar bipotential progenitor cells in fetal lung tissue engraftment and differentiation

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K16609
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Respiratory surgery
• Research Institution: The University of Tokushima
• Principal Investigator: KAWAKITA Naoya 徳島大学, 病院, 特任助教 (60522266)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 肺胞上皮細胞 / 幹細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our experiments made it possible to identify the localization of alveolar bipotential progenitor cells in rat lung tissue. We transplanted embryonic day 17 rat lungs to adult rat lungs. The transplanted lungs were engrafted and expanded over time. Immunostaining also confirmed the morphology, differentiation and localization of alveolar bipotential progenitor cells and mature cells.
In addition, we added a group which the recipients after transplantation were administered Dexamethasone for 7 days. It was confirmed that the transplanted lung was expanded more in the steroid group. We performed evaluation of the transplanted lungs by taking computed tomography(CT). CT also confirmed good expansion of the transplanted lungs.
We have not yet been able to extract Bipotential cells. Therefore, we plan to continue research.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学　呼吸器外科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ラット胎仔肺の移植実験から、移植肺の生着や肺の再生においてbipotential細胞が重要な役割を果たしていることが観察された。今後、肺の再生医療に用いる細胞としてbipotential細胞が候補となる可能性がある。また、適切な時期にステロイド薬を投与することで、肺の再生がより良好となる可能性も示唆された。
今後はbipotential細胞のみを抽出して移植することで、肺の良好な再生を得られるかという実験を継続していく予定である。