2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Investigation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human polarized RPE cells
| Project/Area Number |
17K16974
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Research Field |
Ophthalmology
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| Research Institution | Kagoshima University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
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| Keywords | 網膜色素上皮細胞 |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Fibrosis (epithelial-mesenchymal transition) of retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) is a finding in advanced stage of age-related macular degeneration. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of EMT in polarized and non-polarized RPE cells. The responses with TGF-beta stimulation, which induces EMT, were found to be different between polarized and nonpolarized RPE. Western blot and immunostaining showed that TGF-beta stimulation reduced the expression of epithelial markers in non-polarized RPE. In addition, the effect was inhibited by protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor. TGF-beta-induced EMT in nonpolarized RPE might be partly dependent on the PKC pathway.
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| Free Research Field |
眼科 網膜疾患
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
加齢黄斑変性は中途失明の原因の主な疾患のひとつである。現在の治療の中心である抗血管内細胞皮増殖因子薬により視力の維持が可能となりつつあるが、多くの患者は同薬の定期的な投与が必要で患者への負担が大きい。本研究の成果は加齢黄斑変性症の進行期にみられる線維化のメカニズムを調べたものであり、加齢黄斑変性の病態解明や上記の問題を解決するような新たな治療に繋がる可能性がある。
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