Development of novel lung injury therapies based on the regulation of lung tissue stem cells

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K08530
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 53030:Respiratory medicine-related
• Research Institution: University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan
• Principal Investigator: Endo Motoyoshi 産業医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (40398243)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 肺損傷 / eR1 / 組織幹細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

eR1 is an enhancer that regulates the expression of Runx1 and is known to be activated in various tissue stem cells. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between eR1 expressing cells in the lung and tissue stem cells. We found that eR1-positive cells in the lung are expressing CD44, OCT4, and SOX2. We also found that eR1-positive cells are dormant at the basement membrane periphery under normal conditions. However, eR1-positive cells proliferated and differentiated when lung injury was occurred. These results suggest that eR1-positive cells in the lung may be one of the lung tissue stem cells.

Free Research Field

分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

間質性肺炎の急性増悪期やALI/ARDSなどの肺損傷では、肺組織の急速な破壊が進んでおり、肺組織の修復・再生の促進はその治療において極めて重要である。また、組織修復には組織固有に存在する組織幹細胞の制御が重要であることが知られている。本研究では、Runx1の発現を制御するエンハンサーeR1を発現している細胞が肺組織幹細胞である可能性を見出した。eR1発現細胞の制御は新たな肺損傷治療法開発につながると考えられる。