2011 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Functional Analysis of Dendritic Cells in the Pathophysiology of Heart Failure and a Study of Heart Failure Treatment Targeting Dendritic Cells

Research Project

Project/Area Number	22790739
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Circulatory organs internal medicine
Research Institution	Kurume University
Principal Investigator	SUGI Yusuke 久留米大学, 医学部, 助教 (40389250)
Project Period (FY)	2010 – 2011
Keywords	循環器 / 心不全 / 免疫学 / 心筋障害
Research Abstract	We focused on dendritic cells(DCs) which are the most potent antigen-presenting cells. We demonstrated that the numbers and activation markers of DCs were correlated with cardiac function, clinical parameters and prognosis in patients with decompensated heart failure. We also investigated whether DCs would be involved in the pathogenesis of heart failure using mice myocarditis model. Autoimmune myocarditis and heart failure were induced by DCs pulsed with cardiac antigen peptide. These autoimmune myocarditis and heart failure were attenuated by simvastatin. We also examined the effects of simvastatin on activation markers and cytokines production of DCs in vitro. Simvastatin significantly suppressed activation markers and inflammatory cytokines. These results suggest that DCs may play a role in the pathogenesis of heart failure and simvastatin may suppress dendritic cell-induced autoimmune myocarditis, possibly by inhibiting the activation and inflammatory cytokines production of DCs.

(3 results)