Inflammation-inducing mechanism of acrolein in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K09667
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56060:Ophthalmology-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Murata Miyuki 北海道大学, 医学研究院, 助教 (50423752)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 野田 航介 北海道大学, 医学研究院, 客員教授 (90296666)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 糖尿病網膜症 / アクロレイン / MCP-1

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Since diabetic retinopathy causes severe visual dysfunction, elucidation of its pathogenesis is an important issue in ophthalmology. We previously reported that acrolein, an unsaturated aldehyde-bound protein, accumulates in retinal glial cells in the fibrovascular tissue of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Acrolein is a highly reactive molecule that has been reported to be involved in a variety of disease states, including neurodegenerative diseases and malignant tumors. In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which acrolein induces inflammation in diabetic retinopathy, and found that acrolein induces MCP-1 expression via factor A in retinal glial cells and promotes macrophage migration. This study provides a new mechanism for the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy.

Free Research Field

網膜細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

糖尿病患者は全世界で急速に増加しており、その罹病期間と糖尿病網膜症の発症率は正の相関を有するため、高齢化の一途をたどる現代において糖尿病網膜症患者数が今後飛躍的に増加すると考えられる。その病態の解明は眼科学における重要な課題である。本研究により、糖尿病網膜症眼内で増加するアクロレインが分子Aを介してMCP-1を誘導し、マクロファージの遊走を促すことが明らかになった。本研究結果は糖尿病網膜症の新たな病態形成機序を示すものであり、アクロレインが新規治療標的なる可能性を示す重要な成果である。