Comprehensive analysis for extracellular vesicles from endothelial progenitor cells

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K16956
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56060:Ophthalmology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Sakimoto Susumu 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 助教 (60633047)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 血管新生 / 血管内皮コロニー形成細胞 / エクソソーム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Current standard-of-care treatments for diabetic retinopathy, like VEGF antagonists, aim to inhibit neovascularization and vascular leak but do nothing to alleviate the underlying ischemia driving the disease and fail to provide protection to neural cells under hypoxic stress. As natural carriers of miRs and proteins, EVs secreted from endothelial colony forming cells possess a multi-modal mechanism that may promote physiological angiogenesis and preserve damaged neurons, as suggested by our preliminary data demonstrating these agents may present a promising approach to treat these complex disorders.

Free Research Field

眼科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果によって虚血性網膜症に対する新しい治療の可能性が示された。つまり細胞治療では、免疫原性反応を起こす可能性があるのにたいし、治療に用いる細胞由来の小胞を純化・投与することにより、より安全な治療効果をもたらす可能性がある。血管内皮コロニー形成細胞のパラクラインメカニズムの一つの作用として、細胞外小胞は有望であると考えられる。