Identification of common therapeutic targets for major cardiovascular disease

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K19455
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 52:General internal medicine and related fields
• Research Institution: Juntendo University
• Principal Investigator: Iwata Hiroshi 順天堂大学, 医学部, 准教授 (00451807)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 動脈硬化 / 不整脈 / 弁疾患 / 石灰化 / 炎症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this project, we aimed to assess the common pathological pathway among clinically different major cardiovascular disorders, such as atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, rhythm disorder (atrial fibrillation) and valvular heart disease (aortic stenosis). While the project is going behind the originally planned schedule due to the lack of manpower, it demonstrated the significant and clinically relevant findings via analysis of clinical data registry, as well as the biological assessment of serum from actual patients. In particular, most significant finding might be the importance of persistent inflammation in Japanese patients with chronic coronary syndrome and the significant difference in the mechanism of valvular and vascular (mid-size and large) calcification. Based on these insightful findings of the present project, our team would like to continue this prpject to find a novel mechanism/therapeutic targets/ actual therapies in these common diseases in aged society like Japan.

Free Research Field

心血管リモデリング

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、高齢化社会において重要性を増す、加齢性心血管疾患に共通する疾患メカニズムを検討し、新たな治療アプローチを開発して日本の社会に還元することを目指している。研究は道半ばであり、今後も継続して研究を行い、全く新たな治療法を開発することで医療のパラダイムシフトを目指したい。