Efficacy and Feasibility of Tissue-clearing Technique in the Human Gastrointestinal Tissues Using LUCID

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K16981
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 53010:Gastroenterology-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Mizutani Hiroya 東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 特任助教 (60864303)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 組織透明化技術 / 消化管 / 3次元構造 / LUCID

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It was confirmed that LUCID transparency treatment significantly extended the depth of observation by confocal microscopy in human esophageal, gastric, duodenal, and colonic mucosa. In addition, although it is important for human pathological specimens to be free of tissue degeneration and damage, no obvious decrease in staining or destruction of morphology was observed in HE staining and various immunostaining (Ki67, p53, E-cadherin) before and after transparency, suggesting that good diagnostic potential is maintained. Thus, it was considered that good diagnostic potential was maintained.
The fact that LUCID can be used in combination with conventional pathological evaluation in a complementary manner is an important usefulness of LUCID, and further improvement and development for clinical application are expected in the future.

Free Research Field

消化器内科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

組織透明化技術は主に生物学の分野で研究開発されているが、ヒト検体での報告は依然として限られており消化管検体での有効性を示す報告は認められない。
今回我々はLUCIDで透明化されたヒト消化管粘膜について、ブタ消化管粘膜と同様に、光学顕微鏡による撮像・3次元再構築を行なうことで、粘膜内の腺管や血管の3次元構造を獲得することに成功しており、さらにLUCIDによる処理が臨床上の病理学的評価に及ぼす影響は最小限と考えられることを示した。これはLUCIDが従来の病理学的評価と相補的に併用することが可能であることを示唆しており、実臨床への応用にあたり非常に重要な知見であるものと考えられた。