Elucidating the role of IL-9 in pulmonary fibrosis

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K17228
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 53030:Respiratory medicine-related
• Research Institution: Teikyo University
• Principal Investigator: Sugimoto Naoya 帝京大学, 医学部, 客員研究員 (40724175)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 肺線維化 / IL-9 / 気道上皮細胞 / マクロファージ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In a silica mouse model used to study the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis, we previously demonstrated the importance of IL-9 in lung fibrosis in the chronic advanced stage. In this study, we investigated the effects of IL-9 on airway epithelial cells and the involvement of macrophage-IL-9 interaction in the fibrotic mechanism. In the experiment of cell lines using BEAS-2B, IL-9 stimulation showed production of pro-fibrotic factor and cytokine production at the mRNA level. In the study of silica stimulation of macrophages, there were differences in the results of cytokine production, including IL-9, from one cell line to another, and the interpretation and reproducibility of the results need further verification.

Free Research Field

間質性肺炎

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

肺線維化のメカニズムは不明な点が多い。特にIL-9が肺構築細胞や炎症細胞に及ぼす効果や、IL-9の産生細胞について、さらに検討する必要がある。今回、気道上皮細胞およびマクロファージを用いてIL-9と肺線維化に関わる因子の解析を行ったが、引き続きIL-9の肺線維化における役割を明らかにすることで、肺線維症診療の進歩に貢献できればと考えている。