The study of strategic therapy for inflammatory pulmonary diseases

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24390137
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied pharmacology
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: KASUYA Yoshitoshi 千葉大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (70221877)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SUDO Tatsuhiko 理化学研究所, 基幹研, 専任研究員 (30260227) ; SUGIYAMA Fumihiro 筑波大学, 人間総合科学研究科, 准教授 (90226481)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): TATSUMI Koichiro 千葉大学, 大学院医学研究院, 教授 (10207061)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 炎症性肺疾患 / 特発性肺線維症 / 慢性閉塞性肺疾患 / p38 / 肺胞上皮前駆細胞 / 細胞治療

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To propose new treatments for the inflammatory pulmonary diseases, the following studies were performed. (1) Reliability of anti-IL-6 strategy against pulmonary fibrosis was precisely evaluated. (2) We established a new experimental emphysema (COPD) mouse model. Transgenic (TG) mice expressing a p38-specific activator in the lung were subjected to our protocol, and plausible emphysema-associated molecules were comprehensively analyzed. (3) We have identified a new cell population having characteristics of lung-derived alveolar epithelial stem/progenitor cells and named it LMDEC. The engraftment of LMDECs was beneficial against lung fibrosis. (4) To expect the establishment of new inflammatory pulmonary disease mouse model, we tried to produce transgenic mice exhibiting p38 activation in drug-dependent and site (AECII)-specific manners.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学