To identify pathogenesis of ALI/ARDS affected by mechanical stress

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25860209
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General medical chemistry
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: ASO Hiromichi 名古屋大学, 医学部附属病院, 病院助教 (80635590)
• Research Collaborator: 高原 紀博 名古屋大学, 医学部呼吸器内科
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: メカニカルストレス / ATP / カルシウム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study was designed to determine whether mechanical stretching affects lung disease such as ALI/ARDS, asthma, COPD and interstitial pneumonia. We investigated whether mechanical stretch induces ATP release from airway smooth muscle cells. Concentrations of ATP in cell culture were significantly elevated by cyclic stretch. We further visualized the stretch-induced ATP release from the cells in real time using a luminescence imaging system. In primary human lung fibroblasts, the intracellular Ca2+ concentration transiently increased in a strain-dependent manner following mechanical stretching and subsequent unloading. Moreover, cyclic stretching induced significant ATP releases from fibroblasts. Our findings suggest that increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration in airway smooth muscle cells and lung fibroblasts in response to mechanical stress would play a role in physiology and pathophysiology of athma, COPD, ALI/ARDS and interstitial pneumonia.

Free Research Field

呼吸器内科学