Establishment of treatment for pulmonary fibrosis and its acute exacerbation by regulating macrophage activation

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K16520
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 55040:Respiratory surgery-related
• Research Institution: Osaka Metropolitan University (2022-2023); Osaka City University (2021)
• Principal Investigator: Miyamoto Hikaru 大阪公立大学, 大学院医学研究科, 研究員 (20803092)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 特発性肺線維症 / 急性増悪

Outline of Final Research Achievements

With the aim of developing drugs for the treatment of acute exacerbations of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, we conducted research to find compounds effective in suppressing the progression of acute exacerbations of pulmonary fibrosis by regulating the polarization of rat alveolar macrophages, to confirm the efficacy of the compounds in rat models, and to elucidate their mechanisms of action.
It was shown that the novel compounds may inhibit the progression of pulmonary fibrosis by regulating macrophage polarization. On the other hand, changes in epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related markers in lung tissue were also observed.

Free Research Field

呼吸器外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本邦の特発性肺線維症(IPF)患者は15000人以上であり、IPFの診断確定後の平均生存期間は3から5年間と報告されている。その40％程度に急性増悪がおこり、急性増悪を来たした後の平均生存期間は、2カ月以内と予後不良である。
しかし、現在肺線維症の急性増悪については有効な動物モデルも乏しく、ましてや治療薬開発もすすんでいないのが現状である。
従って、肺線維化の急性増悪の動物モデルの確立や予防・治療薬の開発が急務である。