Identification of the role of CXCL5 for embryo aging for development of the innovative clinical treatment to advanced aging infertility patients

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K21351
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H06258 (2018)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2019); Single-year Grants (2018)
• Review Section: 0906:Surgery related to the biological and sensory functions and related fields
• Research Institution: International University of Health and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Kawagoe Yuta 国際医療福祉大学, 医学部, 研究員 (10609077)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-08-24 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 高齢赴任 / 胚発生 / 老化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We confirmed that the expression levels of CXCL5, an inflammatory factor, was increased in the aging preimplantation embryos of middle-aged infertile patients. In addition, CXCL5 secreted from the embryos caused of decrease the implantation rate due to the decline of embryo quality.
From the result of animal experiments, suppression of CXCL5 with neutralizing antibody during embryo culture promoted cell proliferation and improved implantation rates. CXCL5 suppression did not affect embryonic development. On the other hand, the gene expression profile of CXCL5-suppressed aging mouse embryos was close to that of young mouse embryos. In addition, there are no abnormalities in offspring derived from the CXCL5-suppressed embryos. It suggested that CXCL5 suppression of aging embryos can be safely applied in clinical treatment.

Free Research Field

生殖医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、着床前期胚の老化を誘導している新規因子の一つとしてCXCL5が見出された。また、胚の培養中にCXCL5シグナル経路を抑制することにより、高齢マウス胚の着床率が改善することを確認した。本研究を臨床応用することにより、これまで効果的な治療方法が確立されていなかった高齢不妊患者の新規治療法となり、より多くの不妊患者を救うことが可能になると考えられる。また、効果的な治療を行えることで治療費の削減にもつながる。本研究成果は、今後の晩婚化社会において非常に有用な技術となることが予想される。