Elucidation of mechanism of atherosclerosis focusing on arteries, microvessels in perivascular tissues and vasa vasorum in adventitia

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26461141
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cardiovascular medicine
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Tanaka Kimie 東京大学, 保健・健康推進本部, 助教 (30508065)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 動脈硬化 / 血管外膜 / 血管外膜微小血管 / 血管周囲脂肪組織 / 動脈硬化モデルマウス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In adventitial area of advanced atherosclerotic lesion, vasa vasorum expands and penetrates into atherosclerotic plaque from the adventitial side, plays as a conduit which supplies lipid and inflammatory cells into the plaque. Adjacent to arteries, there are perivascular adipose tissues, which have plentiful capillary networks. Perivascular adipose tissue is considered to secrete adipocytokines, that control vascular lesion formation. However, the relation between arteries, adventitial vasa vasorum and capillaries in perivascular adipose tissue remains to be elucidated. In this study, the structural and functional relation between arteries, adventitial vasa vasorum and perivascular tissues were evaluated, using spontaneous and mechanically induced vascular lesions in mouse models of atherosclerosis.

Free Research Field

循環器内科学