The role of lymphangiogenesis in polycystic kidney disease

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K17725
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 53040:Nephrology-related
• Research Institution: Aichi Medical University
• Principal Investigator: kinashi hiroshi 愛知医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (70805275)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 多発性嚢胞腎 / VEGF-C

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated the role of VEGF-C and lymphangiogenesis in polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Four-week-old Jck and Pcy mouse models for PKD received intravenous administration of adenoviral vectors expressing VEGF-C (AdVEGF-C), a major lymphangiogenic factor or β-galactosidase (AdLacZ) as a control. Mice were killed at eight weeks old, however, there were no significant differences in the ratio of kidney to body weight, renal cyst formation, lymphangiogenesis, and serum creatinine between AdVEGF-C-treated and AdLacZ-treated groups. Further research will be required for assessing the possible VEGF-C therapy for PKD.

Free Research Field

腎臓内科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

多発性嚢胞腎は最も頻度の高い遺伝性腎疾患であり、両側の腎臓に多数の嚢胞が形成され進行性に腎機能が低下し、最終的に半数以上の患者が透析療法や腎移植を必要とする。原因遺伝子としてPKD1・PKD2が明らかにされ嚢胞形成機序の解明が進んでいるが、未だ有効な治療法は確立されていない。本研究では、ヒト臨床経過に類似した多発性嚢胞腎マウスモデルを用いて、嚢胞形成におけるVEGF-Cとリンパ管新生の意義を検討した。本研究は今後VEGF-Cなどを介したリンパ管発現の制御を、多発性嚢胞腎の新しい治療法として確立するための重要なステップであると考えられる。