Role of long noncoding RNA in the pulmonary artery hypertension

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K08033
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 53020:Cardiology-related
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: MAEMURA Koji 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(医学系), 教授 (90282649)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 池田 聡司 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(医学系), 講師 (10336159) ; 江口 正倫 長崎大学, 病院(医学系), 助教 (70585405)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 肺高血圧症 / 長鎖ノンコーディングRNA / バイオマーカ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Blood samples were collected from the pulmonary artery and left ventricle of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and RNA was extracted from the obtained plasma and comprehensively analyzed for the expression levels of long non-coding (lnc) RNAs. We identified lncRNAs X and Y, whose levels were elevated in pulmonary circulation, suggesting an association with PAH. lncRNA X tended to be elevated in the pulmonary circulation of both control patients and PAH, but was higher in the blood of PAH. lncRNA Y was barely detectable in the plasma of control patients, but was detectable in the blood of PAH, and was elevated in the PAH pulmonary circulation.
These two lncRNAs are currently being validated as disease biomarkers in patients with PAH.

Free Research Field

循環器内科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

PAHは、その発症機序は未だ十分に解明されておらず、未治療のPAHの予後は極めて不良である。2000年頃より新たな治療薬が開発され、予後は改善してきているが、その効果は不十分であり、早期診断のためのバイオマーカや新しい機序の治療薬の開発が喫緊の課題である。今回の研究によりPAHの病態と関連するlncRNA XとYを同定した。今後PAHの発症機序の解明、早期診断のためのバイオマーカ、新しい治療標的となることが期待される。