Smooth Muscle Cell Senescence and Atherosclerosis in Diabetes

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K17690
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
• Research Institution: Juntendo University
• Principal Investigator: Nakajima Kenichi 順天堂大学, 医学部, 助教 (10815806)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 糖尿病 / 低血糖 / 動脈硬化 / 平滑筋細胞 / 老化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study revealed that hypoglycemia increases the proportion of cells positive for cell senescence-associated acidic β-galactosidase staining in rat vascular smooth muscle cells, suggesting that hypoglycemia may promote aging. The phosphorylation of AMPK may be involved in this mechanism. In the future, we plan to investigate the relationship between hypoglycemia and arterial aging by evaluating pulse wave velocity, which is also an assessment of vascular aging.

Free Research Field

糖尿病学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日常の臨床において低血糖の発症を避けながら治療を行うことが重要である。本研究により低血糖そのものが血管平滑筋細胞の老化を引き起こす可能性が示唆された。つまり、低血糖そのものが動脈硬化を進める可能性がある。さらに低血糖が血管平滑筋の老化を起こす機序を解明することで、動脈硬化の発症進展を抑制する新たな治療ターゲットを見出せる可能性がある。