Risk evaluation of the development of airway remodeling by using fibrocytes as indexes

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26860787
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Pediatrics
• Research Institution: University of Fukui
• Principal Investigator: Hayashi Hisako 福井大学, 学術研究院医学系部門, 特別研究員 (70584853)
• Research Collaborator: Yamada Kenta 福井大学, 学術研究院医学系部門(附属病院部), 医員 ; Ohshima Yusei 福井大学, 学術研究院医学系部門, 教授
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 気道リモデリング / 線維細胞 / IFN-beta / IFN-lamda

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Airway remodeling is associated with the severity of bronchial asthma. We focused on fibrocytes, a precursor cell of myofibroblasts, which play an important role in airway remodeling and analyzed the effects of respiratory viral infection, an exacerbation factor of asthma on the function of fibrocytes. Fibrocytes were stimulated with IFN-beta, which is produced in innate immune response to virus. IFN-beta suppressed cell proliferation, differentiation into myofibroblasts, and YKL-40 production by fibrocytes. Inhalation of IFN-beta has been evaluated as a therapeutic measure of bronchial asthma. Our data suggested the possibility that inhalation of IFN-beta might be useful for prevention of the development of airway remodeling by suppressing fibrocyte function.

Free Research Field

小児科学