Development of novel serum marker and treatment for interstitilal lung diseases

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25860649
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Respiratory organ internal medicine
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: KAKUGAWA Tomoyuki 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(医学系), 助教 (90570953)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 特発性間質性肺炎 / 特発性肺線維症 / 急性増悪 / バイオマーカー / HSP47 / 急性間質性肺炎 / 薬剤性肺炎

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Heat shock protein 47 (HSP47), a collagen-specific molecular chaperone, is essential for the biosynthesis and secretion of collagen molecules. Previous studies of various experimental diseases affecting the lung have shown that there is a close association between increased expression of HSP47 and excessive accumulation of collagen. In our study, serum HSP47 levels were significantly higher in patients with acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, acute interstitial pneumonia, and drug induced lung disease with diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) pattern than those in patients with stable idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, cryptogenic organizing pneumonia, and healthy volunteers, suggesting that underlying fibrogenic mechanisms involving HSP47 differ in the two conditions. Elevation of serum HSP47 might be due to distinctive characteristics of DAD. DAD changes may possibly induce leakage of HSP47 protein into the extracellular matrix.

Free Research Field

呼吸器内科学