Advantages
- Identification of a macrophage in the kidney that is a potential therapeutic target for hypertension
- Discovered that induction of hypertension can be inhibited by deleting a certain molecule specifically in the macrophage
- Potential for completely new drug discovery research based on a mechanism different from existing antihypertensive drugs
Technology Overview & Background
The number of hypertensive patients reaches 43 million in Japan and at least 1.3 billion worldwide. Most hypertension is essential hypertension, the cause of which is unknown. In Japan, the influence of salt intake on the development of hypertension is also significant, but a different mechanism, the involvement of immune cells, has also been reported and is being elucidated.
This researcher has been elucidating the pathogenic mechanism of diseases, particularly kidney disease, and in the process has newly discovered that macrophages in the kidney are involved in the development of hypertension. Specifically, they found that macrophages in the kidneys increased in mice in which hypertension was induced by drug administration, and that removal of these macrophages prevented the induction of hypertension (for details, see the following paper).
This finding is expected to lead to new drug discovery with a mechanism that is completely different from existing antihypertensive drugs.
Current Stages
The researchers confirmed that in the case of mice in which a certain molecule was knocked out in a macrophage-specific manner, hypertension induction by the same drug administration method described above was not obtained, i.e., hypertension induction was suppressed. Therefore, the molecule is likely to become a new drug target.
This is unpublished data.
Suggestion for Next Steps
The researcher believes that macrophages in the kidney, or certain macrophage-specific molecules elucidated in this study, may be a new therapeutic target for hypertension, and is searching for a pharmaceutical company to collaborate on the following research and development or to support research funding.
- Identification of master regulators in hypertension-induced macrophages.
- Elucidation of molecular mechanisms of blood pressure regulation by hypertension-induced macrophages.
Publication(s)
Peter JK, Inoue T. et al. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. (2024) 715:149997.
doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149997
Principal Investigator & Academic Institution
Tsuyoshi Inoue, MD, PhD
Professor, Dept. of Physiology of Visceral Function and Body Fluid, Nagasaki University (Japan)
Expectations
TECH MANAGE is now looking for pharmaceutical companies that are interested in conducting joint research based on the results of this study commissioned by Nagasaki University. Discussions can be arranged through direct meetings with the researcher, so please feel free to contact us if you have any requests.
Project No.JT-04927