Analysis of Intracellular Signaling Mechanisms in Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Lens Epithelial Cells

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K09750
• 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: Iwate Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Kurosaka Daijiro 岩手医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (20215099)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 橋爪 公平 岩手医科大学, 医学部, 特任准教授 (50407095) ; 木澤 純也 岩手医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (40433487)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: TGF-β / 水晶体上皮細胞 / 網膜色素上皮細胞 / 上皮間葉系転換

Outline of Final Research Achievements

TGF-β is an important factor in EMT in lens epithelial cells, and the results suggest that YAP/TAZ is involved in this intracellular stimulatory pathway. Furthermore, FGF-2 suppresses EMT, suggesting that factors other than YAP/TAZ may be involved in this intracellular stimulatory pathway. In addition, our results showed that YAP/TAZ is involved in the intracellular stimulatory pathway of EMT in the retinal pigment epithelial cell lineage, which involves CTGF, and that inhibitors of YAP/TAZ have an inhibitory effect on TGF-β-induced EMT in the retinal pigment epithelial cell lineage.

Free Research Field

眼科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

水晶体上皮細胞のEMTの機序の一端を明らかにしたことは、前嚢下白内障の予防法の開発につながる。さらに網膜色素上皮細胞におけるEMTの機序の一端とその予防薬の候補を提示したことは、失明原因の上位を占める糖尿病網膜症などの新たな治療法の開発の可能性を示唆している。これらは、国内外ともに重要な知見であり、その社会的意義は大きいと思われる。