An attempt to establish a new treatment for refractory osteonecrosis of the jaw by applying the immunoregulatory mechanism of mesenchymal stem cells.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K19242
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 57060:Surgical dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Iwate Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Komatsu Yuko 岩手医科大学, 歯学部, 助教 (90781625)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: ARONJ / 骨吸収薬製薬関連顎骨壊死 / 悪性腫瘍 / マクロファージ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We collected clinical information on clinical patients with osteomyelitis of the jaw and classified them into chronic sclerosing osteomyelitis, radiation osteonecrosis, and osteoporotic drug-associated osteonecrosis of the jaw (ARONJ). In vitro, we explored the interaction of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), oral tissue-derived cells, and Mφ to elucidate the immune response in wounds. The interaction between oral tissue-derived cells and Mφ was confirmed by increased expression of MMP family members, which is now being prepared for publication.

Free Research Field

口腔外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は臨床研究として未だ指針の示されないARONJについて外科療法の有効性を見いだしており、日常臨床への応用が期待される結果であった。また基礎研究としてはマクロファージを基盤とした免疫応答に着目した。MAPKシグナル伝達系を介したMMPファミリーの発現増加を認めておりており、組織の壊死もしくは創傷治癒における起点因子を突き止める一助となり得る。いずれも治療指針の明示ならびに病態解明には欠かせない研究テーマであり今後も更なる発展の期待される結果であると考える。