Upregulation of VEGF induces high endothelial venule neogenesis and remodeling of secondary and/or tertiary lymphatic tissues.

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K15424
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52010:General internal medicine-related
• Research Institution: Kagoshima University
• Principal Investigator: Takenouchi Kazunori 鹿児島大学, 医歯学域医学系, 助教 (30646758)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: VEGF / ３次リンパ節 / ２次リンパ節 / 免疫減弱 / 胚中心

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Expression of peripheral node addressin detected using MECA-79 antibody was observed on high endothelial venule (HEV) in lymph nodes. Expression of ICAM-1 and GlyCAM-1 was also observed on the HEV which was proliferated, suggesting that they have a functional role. Regarding the reason why HEV proliferates, we tried to detect lymphotoxin by lymph node homogenate and tissue staining, but no significant difference was observed compared with the control group.
We created a tumor-bearing mouse by subcutaneously transplanting it using cultured cancer cells, but we could not obtain stable data. In the future, it will be necessary to further study what kind of the cancer cells to choose, adjustment of the transplantation amount, and the timing of pathological autopsy.

Free Research Field

血管代謝

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

VEGFは主として血管増殖を司るが、我々の研究において、VEGFは２次リンパ組織内でのHEV形成やリンパ濾胞の構造変化をきたすので免疫系にも深く関わる分子であると考えられる。
また、３次リンパ組織はがん免疫・自己免疫疾患・遷延性の腎臓病のような慢性的な免疫異常との関連が示唆されている。３次リンパ節内と２次リンパ節内のHEV発生・増殖過程は類似していることが知られており、in vivo モデルにおいてその後の免疫応答などを詳細に分析することで、様々な疾患の基礎となる現象を理解することが本研究の意義である。ひいては難治性慢性炎症の治療の一助になると考えられる。