Award type：Award from international society, conference, symposium, etc. 

Award type：Award from international society, conference, symposium, etc. 

Language：English   Publisher：Nagoya Journal of Medical Science  

High perioperative mortality and complication rates during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have been reported. In head and neck reconstruction, not only is patient safety important, but the prevention of infection introduced by the surgical team is also important because the procedure is performed in close proximity to the upper respiratory tract. In addition, recent studies have reported an increased risk for thrombus formation after infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or COVID-19 vaccination, which is problematic for microsurgical reconstruction procedures. At the authors’ institution, patients undergoing head and neck reconstruction are requested to stay home for 2 weeks and undergo screening tests for COVID-19 before admission. Surgeons use standard personal protective equipment during surgery. There was no significant difference in the rate of total flap necrosis between the COVID-19 and non-pandemic periods or large difference of perioperative complication rates between vaccinated and non-vaccinated patients. No surgery-related infections among the surgical staff were also found.

DOI： 10.18999/nagjms.86.3.472

Web of Science

Scopus

PubMed

Language：English   Publisher：Scientific Reports  

Keloids are characterized by abnormal wound healing with excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix. Myofibroblasts are the primary contributor to extracellular matrix secretion, playing an essential role in the wound healing process. However, the differences between myofibroblasts involved in keloid formation and normal wound healing remain unclear. To identify the specific characteristics of keloid myofibroblasts, we initially assessed the expression levels of well-established myofibroblast markers, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and transgelin (TAGLN), in scar and keloid tissues (n = 63 and 51, respectively). Although myofibroblasts were present in significant quantities in keloids and immature scars, they were absent in mature scars. Next, we conducted RNA sequencing using myofibroblast-rich areas from keloids and immature scars to investigate the difference in RNA expression profiles among myofibroblasts. Among significantly upregulated 112 genes, KN motif and ankyrin repeat domains 4 (KANK4) was identified as a specifically upregulated gene in keloids. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that KANK4 protein was expressed in myofibroblasts in keloid tissues; however, it was not expressed in any myofibroblasts in immature scar tissues. Overexpression of KANK4 enhanced cell mobility in keloid myofibroblasts. Our results suggest that the KANK4-mediated increase in myofibroblast mobility contributes to keloid pathogenesis.

DOI： 10.1038/s41598-024-59293-z

Open Access

Web of Science

Scopus

PubMed

Language：Japanese   Publisher：Japanese Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery  

<p>　A 33-year-old man with Maffucci syndrome developed chondrosarcoma in the left upper arm, which required reconstructive surgery. The left fibula, which had been shortened and underwent bone lengthening in childhood, was not suitable for use as an osteocutaneous flap. Instead, the right fibula, which was free of enchondromas, was considered suitable for use as the donor site for the free-flap reconstruction. One year and three months post-surgery, the transferred bone achieved fusion, and upper limb function was preserved. Maffucci syndrome is characterized by multiple enchondromas and venous malformations due to somatic mosaic mutations in IDH1 and IDH2. Approximately 30% of cases involve malignant transformation of enchondromas. The bone affected by enchondromas is structurally fragile and prone to fractures. In the present study, we used the right fibula, which did not develop enchondromas, as a free flap. The absence of genetic mutations in this bone allowed for normal bone fusion and retention of its strength.</p>

DOI： 10.11270/jjsrm.37.133

CiNii Research

Language：English   Publisher：Nagoya Journal of Medical Science  

Diabetic wounds are considered one of the most frequent and severe complications of diabetes mellitus. Recently, the omentum has been used in diabetic wound healing because of its tissue repair properties. The activated omentum is richer in growth factors than the inactivated, thereby contributing to the wound healing process. To further investigate the effect of activated omentum conditioned medium (aOCM) on diabetic wound healing, we injected supernatant from aOCM, saline-OCM (sOCM), inactivated-OCM (iOCM), and medium (M) subcutaneously upon creation of a cutaneous wound healing model in diabetic mice. Wound area (%) was evaluated on days 0, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 21, and 28 post-operation. At 9 and 28 d post-operation, skin tissue was harvested and assessed for gross observation, neovascularization, peripheral nerve fiber regeneration, and collagen deposition. We observed that aOCM enhanced the wound repair process, with significant acceleration of epidermal and collagen deposition in the surgical lesion on day 9. Additionally, aOCM displayed marked efficiency in neovascularization and peripheral nerve regeneration during wound healing. Thus, aOCM administration exerts a positive influence on the diabetic mouse model, which can be employed as a new therapy for diabetic wounds.

DOI： 10.18999/nagjms.85.3.528

Web of Science

Scopus

PubMed

Language：English   Publisher：Tissue Engineering - Part A  

Transforming growth factor beta 2 (TGFβ2) is a pleiotropic growth factor that plays a vital role in smooth muscle cell (SMC) function. Our prior in vitro work has shown that SMC response can be modulated with TGFβ2 stimulation in a dose dependent manner. In particular, we have shown that increasing concentrations of TGFβ2 shift SMCs from a migratory to a synthetic behavior. In this work, electrospun compliance-matched and hypocompliant TGFβ2-eluting tissue engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) were implanted into Sprague Dawley rats for 5 days to observe SMC population and collagen production. TEVGs were fabricated using a combined computational and experimental approach that varied the ratio of gelatin:polycaprolactone to be either compliance matched or twice as stiff as rat aorta (hypocompliant). TGFβ2 concentrations of 0, 10, 100 ng/mg were added to both graft types (n = 3 in each group) and imaged in vivo using ultrasound. Histological markers (SMC, macrophage, collagen, and elastin) were evaluated following explanation at 5 days. In vivo ultrasound showed that compliance-matched TEVGs became stiffer as TGFβ2 increased (100 ng/mg TEVGs compared to rat aorta, p < 0.01), while all hypocompliant grafts remained stiffer than control rat aorta. In vivo velocity and diameter were also not significantly different than control vessels. The compliance-matched 10 ng/mg group had an elevated SMC signal (myosin heavy chain) compared to the 0 and 100 ng/mg grafts (p = 0.0009 and 0.0006). Compliance-matched TEVGs containing 100 ng/mg TGFβ2 had an increase in collagen production (p < 0.01), general immune response (p < 0.05), and a decrease in SMC population to the 0 and 10 ng/mg groups. All hypocompliant groups were found to be similar, suggesting a lower rate of TGFβ2 release in these TEVGs. Our results suggest that TGFβ2 can modulate in vivo SMC phenotype over an acute implantation period, which is consistent with our prior in vitro work. To the author's knowledge, this is the first in vivo rat study that evaluates a TGFβ2-eluting TEVG. TGFβ2 affects the SMCs in a vascular graft.

DOI： 10.1089/ten.tea.2021.0161

Web of Science

Scopus

PubMed

Event date： 2022.4

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (public)  

Venue：大阪  

Event date： 2021.12

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (nominated)  

Venue：茨城県つくば市  

Event date： 2021.11

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Venue：東京  

Event date： 2021.7

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Venue：福岡  

Event date： 2021.4

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Symposium, workshop panel (public)  

Venue：東京