Functional alterations in blood veesels in skin tissue in refractory atopic dermatitis

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K17333
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 53050:Dermatology-related
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Sekita Aiko 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 生命医科学研究センター, 研究員 (10804289)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: アトピー性皮膚炎 / 血管内皮 / 炎症 / 皮膚組織病理 / トランスクリプトーム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic skin disease characterized by combination of skin presentations including erythema, papulation and lichenification. In this study, biology of lichenification, a major sign of repeated occurrence of skin inflammation which is frequently observed in patients with refractory AD, were assessed both by histological and transcriptome approach. Lichenification was found to be associated with disruption in regulation of cell infiltration in skin tissue that are potentially linked with blood vessel function, suggesting functional alterations in blood vessel in skin tissue as a key element for chronicity of skin inflammation.

Free Research Field

皮膚科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでにADの皮膚組織における炎症の発生・維持に関わる分子メカニズムが多数報告されているものの、炎症の慢性化状態の違いによる皮膚の組織学的あるいは分子的な変化については未だ十分に明らかにされていなかった。本研究では、患者横断的な皮膚組織の病理学的解析および遺伝子発現解析を通して、皮膚炎慢性化にともない生じる血管機能に関わる遺伝子発現変化を捉えた。本研究で得られた知見は、これまで「皮膚炎」とひとまとめにされていたAD皮膚組織における生物学的変化の、より高い解像度での理解につながる。