Therapeutic strategies based on functional analysis of lumican in wound healing of corneal stroma.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K18390
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56060:Ophthalmology-related
• Research Institution: Wakayama Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Eimi 和歌山県立医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (60794394)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ルミカン / 角膜実質 / 創傷治癒

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A whole cornea incision model was created in mice lacking the lumican gene. It was found that (1) corneal parenchymal wound healing is delayed in mice lacking the lumican gene, (2) expression of αSMA, a marker of myofibroblasts, is suppressed, and in cultured cells of mice lacking the lumican gene in a study using ocular cultured fibroblasts, (3) We reported that αSMA expression is suppressed when TGFβ is added, and (4) that gel contractility is significantly reduced in a study using a kit for gels that can evaluate contractility. (Suzuki, E et al., Ocular Surface. 2023)

Free Research Field

角膜創傷治癒

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

創傷治癒の遷延は感染リスクの増加、血管新生、最終的な治癒時の線維瘢痕化によって視力障害の大きな原因となる。従って角膜上皮や実質の創傷は炎症を制御しつつも速やかに治癒することが求められる。今回の研究にて、lumicanは角膜実質創傷治癒に促進的に関与することを解明した。
速やかな角膜実質の創傷治癒を実現する新たな治療戦略の樹立は治癒不全の遷延化の防止や過剰な瘢痕形成の抑制などの面で極めて意義深い。他組織の創傷治癒過程でも同様の機序の存在が想定できるので、ルミカンC末端ペプチドを用いた皮膚での褥瘡治療などルミカンペプチドの角膜実質での作用に基づいた新規治療戦略を提唱できる可能性を想定している。