The role of cytokeratin 7 (CK7)-positive cells in multiple organ failure.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K18350
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 55060:Emergency medicine-related
• Research Institution: Shiga University of Medical Science
• Principal Investigator: Kato Fumitaka 滋賀医科大学, 医学部, 非常勤講師 (30837315)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 敗血症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) is an intractable condition with a high mortality rate caused by excessive invasion of the body. The applicant found that cytokeratin 7 (CK7)-positive ductal formation occurs in patients with MODS and investigated the relationship between this phenomenon and multiple organ failure. Using human pathology specimens, we examined CK7-positive cells in the liver, pancreas, and kidney, and found that CK7-positive ductal formation was observed in all organs in patients with MODS, and that the number of CK7-positive cells increased with the number of organ failures in the patients. The results of this study suggest that CK7-positive ductal formation is a trans-organ change that appears in patients with MODS and may be related to organ dysfunction.

Free Research Field

敗血症

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

多臓器不全とCK7陽性管腔形成との関連を調査し、肝臓、膵臓、腎臓における多臓器CK7陽性細胞、およびCK7陽性管腔構造形成が、今まで明らかとされていなかった多臓器に共通した多臓器不全発症のメカニズムとなる可能性が示唆された。この発見により肝不全、膵不全、腎不全の発症メカニズムの解明のみならず、CK7陽性細胞をターゲットにした新たな治療法開発の可能性が広がることが考えられる。そして今までいかなる治療法にても改善していなかった多臓器不全の予後を改善する可能性もあるのではないかと考えている。