本研究では、エリスロポエチン(EPO)とその受容体EPORを介する臓器合併症、ことに腎症の機序解明を目指し、糖尿病臓器合併症の共通進展機序である炎症、線維化に着目した。ヒト培養血管内皮細胞を用いて高糖,EPO投与有無による網羅解析とそこから得られる特異的応答分子機構を検討した。新規パスウェイとしてthioredoxin interacting proteinなどインフラマゾーム活性化につながる経路を同定した。一方、EPO投与により炎症、線維化シグナル、サイトカイン発現の低下を確認した。これらより、EPOはその受容体を介して、炎症、線維化カスケードの制御を行い病態に影響を与えている可能性がある。
Diabetic nephropathy is a leading cause of end-stage kidney disease requiring renal replacement therapy in the world. Therefore, it is of importance to examine the pathogenesis of progressive organ involvement in diabetic condition. Thus far, the presence of anemia is an independent risk factor for the progression of diabetic nephropathy. In this study, we focused on the role of erythropoietin (EPO) and its receptor (EPOR), which are closely related to anemia in kidney diseases, especially in the inflammatory processes during the progression of diabetic nephropathy. Endothelial cells express inflammatory and fibrotic mediators through the activation of inflammasome in response to high glucose conditions, which could be modulated by the presence of EPO. These results suggest that EPO-EPOR axis may play a role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy.