Development of artificial bile duct for physiological bile duct reconstruction

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K09006
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 55020:Digestive surgery-related
• Research Institution: The Tazuke Kofukai (2022-2023); Kyoto University (2020-2021)
• Principal Investigator: Taura Kojiro 公益財団法人田附興風会, 医学研究所 腫瘍研究部, 研究主幹 (80378629)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 鶴山 竜昭 公益財団法人田附興風会, 医学研究所 第1研究部, 研究員 (00303842) ; 上本 伸二 京都大学, 医学研究科, 教授 (40252449) ; 田畑 泰彦 京都大学, ウイルス・再生医科学研究所, 教授 (50211371) ; 祝迫 惠子 同志社大学, 生命医科学部, 教授 (70625300) ; 瀬尾 智 京都大学, 医学研究科, 客員研究員 (70646546) ; 福光 剣 京都大学, 医学研究科, 客員研究員 (70700516)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 胆管 / 再生 / 生体材料 / ゼラチン不織布

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have developed artificial bile ducts (ABDs) using Gelatin Hydrogel Nonwoven Fabric (GHNF) in cooperation with The Japan Wool Textile. CO., LTD. In transplantation experiments of ABDs in rats, we confirmed that the GHNF served as a scaffold to promote cell infiltration and tissue structure construction, after which the GHNF was degraded entirely, and the bile duct structure was regenerated. Based on these findings, transplantation experiments were conducted in pigs. As the strength of the GHNF alone was insufficient to anastomose to the bile ducts of pigs, a polyglycolic acid tube was used as the inner layer, which was wrapped with a GHNF sheet as the outer layer. It was confirmed that the ABD materials were wholly absorbed, and a new bile duct structure was regenerated 105 days after surgery.

Free Research Field

消化器外科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

胆管切除や胆管損傷後の胆道再建は、残存胆管と空腸を吻合する「胆管空腸吻合」が標準的な胆道再建法であるが、欠損胆管部を「人工胆管」で間置する方がより簡便、かつ生理的である。人工胆管は求められる機能（胆汁の十二指腸への運搬）が比較的単純である割には未だ開発が成功していない。人工胆管が常時使える製品として医療現場に存在すれば、胆管切除後の再建法に革命的な変化をもたらし、手術時間の短縮、手術合併症の低下、逆行性胆管炎の減少に繋がり、ひいては医療費の削減につながることが期待できる。