Novel treatment of salivary gland hypofunction by immunomodulatory anti-inflammatory cell population using co-culture of diseased inflammatory cells

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K17229
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 57060:Surgical dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: I Takashi 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(歯学系), 助教 (30733448)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 唾液腺

Outline of Final Research Achievements

After irradiation, acinar atrophy and fibrosis were observed in salivary glands.
Along with this, the level of saliva outflow was decreased. In addition, vascular injury was induced early stage and the expression of vascular endothelial marker was decreased. On the other hand, even in the severely damaged tissues after irradiation, a certain number of stem cells were confirmed to survive, and it was considered as main key player that induced salivary gland damage / regeneration after irradiation.

Free Research Field

再生医療学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

放射線障害後の唾液腺組織における変わらず存在する細胞群についての報告はこれまでになく、病態・再生機構の主体となりうる細胞群であることが明らかになった。これら知見は、病態・再生機構のキーとなる分子メカニズムを解明することにより、それを基盤とした創薬化につながる可能性があり発展性のある学術的意義をもつ。また唾液腺組織だけに限らず、放射線性の他の疾患においても応用できる可能性があると考えられる。