Development of ciliated cell sheets for refractory otitis media

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K18325
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56050:Otorhinolaryngology-related
• Research Institution: Jikei University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Udagawa Tomokatsu 東京慈恵会医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (60328292)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 難治性中耳炎 / 細胞シート / 繊毛細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

With the ultimate goal of developing a cell sheet for intraoperative transplantation to improve the postoperative recurrence rate of refractory otitis media, we developed ciliary cell sheets from human nasal mucosa using PneumaCult-Air-Liquid Medium （P-ALM）. We revealed that, in the conventional ciliated cell sheets without cilia from human nasal mucosa, self-renewal (proliferation) marker X-positive cells which have ability to differentiate into various cells (pluripotency) express transcription factor Y that is required for ciliated cell differentiation. Next, using P-ALM, we generated ciliated cell sheets derived from surgical specimens, expressing Z gene which is crucial for development of ciliated cells.

Free Research Field

Otorhinolaryngology

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

癒着性中耳炎は長年、術式が議論・改良されているが、未だ術後再発率の高い疾患である。本研究成果であるP-ALMを用いたヒト鼻腔粘膜由来繊毛細胞シートを術中創部に移植することで、懸案となっている癒着性中耳炎の術後再発を予防できる可能性がある。また、本繊毛細胞シートは難治性の鼻副鼻腔疾患を有する患者個々の病態を解析するスフェロイドとして有用なツールになり得ると我々は考えている。