Regenerative medicine of spinal cord injury and heart failure using biomaterial including hair-follicle-associated pluripotent (HAP) stem cells

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K08781
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 53050:Dermatology-related
• Research Institution: Kitasato University
• Principal Investigator: Amoh Yasuyuki 北里大学, 医学部, 教授 (10306540)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 幹細胞 / 再生医療 / 毛包 / 皮膚

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The bulge area of the hair follicle contains hair-follicle-associated pluripotent (HAP) stem cells. We implanted mouse green fluorescent protein-expressing HAP stem cell colonies enclosed on polyvinylidene fluoride membranes (PFM) into the severed thoracic spinal cord of nude mice. After implantation, we found the differentiation of HAP stem cells into neurons and glial cells. Our results also showed that PFM-captured GFP-expressing HAP stem-cell colonies assisted complete reattachment of the thoracic spinal cord. Moreover, we succeeded establishing the beating cardiac tissue sheets from the upper parts of mouse vibrissa hair follicles by this culture system. HAP stem cells have great potential to form the beating cardiac tissue sheets.

Free Research Field

再生医療

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ラット上唇髭毛包幹細胞の多分化能を証明し、脊髄損傷部の再生に成功した。さらに、毛包幹細胞由来の拍動する心筋シート作成に成功した。これらの成果は、第45回日本研究皮膚科学会総会等で発表した。今後は作成した心筋シートの生着能を確認予定。毛包幹細胞は腫瘍化のリスクが低く、ES細胞のような倫理面の問題もない。毛包幹細胞は有効な治療法の少ない脊髄損傷患者や重症心疾患患者への有効な治療法になると考える。