Basic research for development of biograft with Capillary Stem Cell (CapSCs)

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K16379
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 55030:Cardiovascular surgery-related
• Research Institution: Asahikawa Medical College
• Principal Investigator: Yoshida Yuri 旭川医科大学, 大学病院, 助教 (50646057)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 再生医療 / 細胞治療 / 毛細血管 / 血管外科 / 血管周細胞 / 動脈硬化 / 虚血性疾患

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Open surgical bypass using vein graft remains an important option for patients with critical limb ischemia(CLI). Failing graft is one of the problems after surgical bypass in the patients with CLI. To develop much better quality bypass graft, we considered to construct biograft using multipotent pericytes ; Capillary Stem Cell (CapSC) and determined revascularization potential of CapSC for the patients with peripheral artery disease(PAD). We identified the novel marker EphA7 to detect CapSCs, and established to isolate CapSCs from microvessels of adipose tissues. Transplantation of CapSCs into ischemic tissues significantly improved blood flow recovery in hind limb ischemia mouse model. CapSCs also differentiated into endothelial cells and pericytes to form capillary-like structures by themselves. These data demonstrate that CapCSs have high angiogenesis and regenerative potency for PAD.

Free Research Field

再生医療

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

昨今の高齢化社会における、生活習慣病や動脈硬化性疾患に対するアプローチについては、医療界全体で取り組まねばならない事案である。それらの疾患に起因する虚血性疾患の課題の1つである、虚血肢のバイパス手術におけるグラフトの改善や、虚血肢改善のための細胞治療に繋がる基礎研究が本研究である。本研究によって、毛細血管周囲幹細胞（CapSCs）は、血管再生治療における有用なツールであることが確認され、この細胞自体の血管新生能や虚血改善能が確認できた。これによって、虚血組織の血流改善や、CapSCsを用いた小口径グラフトの開発にも有用なツールと期待できる。