Effects of exercise in the strctures of lymphatic networks in secondary lymphedema: an analysis using a rat model.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K11241
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: International University of Health and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Kosaka Jun 国際医療福祉大学, 医学部, 教授 (40243216)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: リンパ浮腫 / 動物モデル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Laboratory animal models of lymphedematous responses has not been established yet in the research field for lymphedema. In this study, I tried to induce secondary lymphedema to the Wistar rats by repeated injection of anticancer drug, Docetaxel, that occasionally induces lymphedematous responses as a side effect. The ankle circumstance and body weight were measured and the structure of lymphatic vessels was visualized in the horizontal slice section of rat whole hind limb, by immunohistochemical staining against podoplanin. The docetaxel injection did not induce secondary lymphedema in this rat model reproducibly. I have succeeded in detecting the structures of lymphatic vessel in the hind limb of the docetaxel injected rat. I need to consider conditions of this research design using docetaxel in more detail. However, immunohistochemical detection against lymphatic endothelium in the whole hind limb was the useful strategy to evaluate the grade of lymphedema, quantitatively.

Free Research Field

解剖学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

四肢の続発性リンパ浮腫に対しては、現在、科学的な裏付けのある治療法がない。リンパ浮腫の動物モデルが未だ確立されていないことが、研究の発展を妨げている。続発性リンパ浮腫の実験動物モデルを確立することは、リンパ浮腫の基礎研究を強力に推進することになり、非常に重要である。一方で、実験動物に浮腫を誘導した場合、その浮腫の同定法が問題となる。podoplanin抗体によるリンパ管内皮細胞の免疫組織化学染色法は、組織切片上で続発性リンパ浮腫により変化したリンパ管形態を同定でき、その浮腫の病態を組織レベルで定性的・定量的に評価できる優れた方法であることが確認できた。