Single cell transcriptome analysis on circulating mesenchymal stem cells during tissue regeneration

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K16027
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 53050:Dermatology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Shimbo Takashi 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 寄附講座准教授 (70780609)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: シングルセルRNA-seq / 表皮水疱症 / 間葉系幹細胞 / 再生医療

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The supply of cells to damaged tissue is essential for functional tissue regeneration. Using a mouse model of epidermolysis bullosa, we found that the supply of bone marrow-derived PDGFRα-positive mesenchymal stem cells is important for tissue regeneration. In this project, we comprehensively identified functional subpopulations in circulating bone marrow-derived PDGFRα-positive mesenchymal stem cells involved in tissue regeneration by single-cell RNA-seq analysis. We successfully identified functional subpopulations in the bone marrow-derived PDGFRα-positive mesenchymal stem cell pool. We also demonstrated that bone marrow-derived PDGFRα-positive mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate and exert diverse functions in the mobilized damaged tissues.

Free Research Field

再生医療

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

間葉系幹細胞の高い抗炎症作用や分化能は、再生医療の分野で注目を集め内外で積極的に研究されている。我々が着目する生体に元来備わっている組織再生メカニズムを促進する組織再生誘導機構では、体外での幹細胞培養が不要であるため癌化のリスクはなく表皮水疱症新規治療法として有望である。組織再生誘導を担う末梢循環骨髄由来PDGFRα陽性間葉系幹細胞を単一細胞レベルで網羅的に解析し、その組織修復メカニズムを明らかにしようと試みる本研究は先駆的かつ革新的である。また末梢循環間葉系幹細胞には未解明な点が多く、生物学、発生学、幹細胞学の観点からも学術的価値は非常に高いと考える。