The investigation on salivary gland regeneration mechanisms with cell transplantation and the development of salivary gland organ regeneration

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25293416
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Surgical dentistry
• Research Institution: Matsumoto Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Kagami Hideaki 松本歯科大学, 歯学部, 教授 (80242866)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SUMITA Yoshinori 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科, 准教授 (50456654) ; SHINOHARA Atsushi 松本歯科大学, 歯学部, 教授 (90196402)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 唾液腺 / 放射線障害 / 骨髄単核球細胞 / 骨髄間質細胞 / 臍帯由来間葉系幹細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Radiation for head and neck cancer induces salivary gland atrophy, which leads to xerostomia. Xerostomia affects various oral functions and causes masticatory dysfunction and swallowing problem. However, there is no treatment to regenerate damaged glands. In this study, we focused on cell-based regenerative medicine to explore the possibility to regenerate atrophic salivary gland and also its potent mechanisms. Not only bone marrow stromal cells but also monocytes from bone marrow aspirate and human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells can induce recovery of saliva flow after radiation damage. From in vitro model study, it has been suggested that the molecules from transplanted cells induce the functional recovery of acinar cells, which may lead to the recovery of saliva flow from the damaged gland.

Free Research Field

再生医療