Electrical stimulation therapy to promote pressure injury healing by activation of skin cells

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K19398
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: Kansai University of Welfare Sciences
• Principal Investigator: Uemura Mikiko 関西福祉科学大学, 保健医療学部, 講師 (10786601)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 電気刺激 / 物理療法 / 慢性炎症 / マクロファージ / 解糖系代謝 / NADPH

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Low intensity electrical stimulation (200 μA, 2 Hz, 250 msc) was applied to bone marrow-derived macrophages, followed by inflammatory stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS stimulation markedly increased the production of inflammatory cytokines and ROS, but significantly suppressed their production in the electrical stimulation group. The intracellular metabolism was focused on as the mechanism for this, and it was found that electrical stimulation stimulated the pentose phosphate pathway and markedly increased the production of NADPH, an antioxidant. These results indicate that electrical stimulation alters the intracellular metabolism of macrophages and induces a shift to the pentose phosphate pathway, thereby exerting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Free Research Field

リハビリテーション

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

臨床で使用されている電気刺激機器は小型化、軽量化されている。さらに本研究で使用した刺激条件は皮膚の感覚閾値未満であるため、非侵襲的かつ不快感の少ない治療手段となる。本研究において微弱電気刺激がマクロファージに対し抗炎症作用をもたらすことを明らかにした。マクロファージの過剰な炎症反応を抑制させることが治療目的の1つであるような、慢性炎症を背景とした慢性潰瘍や関節炎などの疾患において、電気刺激療法が治療の一助となる可能性が示唆された。