Elucidation of healing mechanisms and development of new treatment methods in flexor tendon injuries

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K20943
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0905:Surgery of the organs maintaining homeostasis and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Iwanaga Yasuhide 東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科(工学部), 特任助教 (80906610)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 屈筋腱損傷 / 治癒過程 / Scleraxis

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we defined Scleraxis-positive cells induced in normal flexor tendon injuries as tendon-derived fibroblasts and determined the extent to which they are involved in the healing process. During the normal healing process, Scx-positive cells were observed in the central part of the tendon, whereas fibroblasts invading from outside the tendon resulted in scar tissue. On the other hand, when the tendon was coated with hydrogel, Scx-positive cells proliferated mainly from the peritendinous tissue and promoted healing without scar tissue formation. This indicates that fibroblasts from outside the tendon usually play a central role in the normal healing process of tendons, but when their invasion is suppressed, Scx-positive cells proliferate from the surrounding tendon tissue and promote healing.

Free Research Field

整形外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、屈筋腱の一般的な治癒過程と、腱外の線維芽細胞の侵入を抑制した環境での治癒過程を比較し、Scx陽性細胞の関わりを解析した。その結果、通常の腱の治癒過程では、線維芽細胞が治癒の中心的な役割を果たすが、線維芽細胞の侵入を抑制すると、Scx陽性細胞が腱周囲組織から増殖し、治癒を促進することが明らかとなった。本研究により、腱の治癒過程のメカニズムの一端を明らかにでき、今後の腱の治療に応用されることを期待している。