The Institute for Basic Science (IBS) Center for Vascular Research Director Kyu-Young Koh and Research Fellow Seon-Pyo Hong’s research team completed the first three-dimensional detailed map of the blood vessels and lymph vessels in the nose.
The nose is the sensory organ responsible for smell and the first gateway for outside air to enter the lungs. It serves to warm the outside air and increase humidity. In particular, the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity performs the first immune barrier function to block external pathogens and foreign substances.
The Center for Vascular Research identified ciliated epithelial cells, which account for most of the mucosal epithelial cells, as the main target for early infection and proliferation of COVID-19, and said that forming mucosal immunity through intranasal vaccine administration could be an effective strategy for preventing and treating COVID-19. I have stated. In fact, at the time, some countries, such as India, claimed that the dead Corona 19 virus was administered intranasally to form nasal immunity, protecting a large population from infection at a low cost.
In forming nasal immunity, the role of microvessels and lymphatic vessels is as important as the activation of immune cells. This is because it serves as a passageway for immune cells to migrate to the lymph nodes and return to the nasal mucosa. However, due to the complex structure of the nasal cavity, the three-dimensional structure and cellular characteristics such as spatial distribution and interconnection of microvessels and lymphatics have not yet been clarified.
The research team used an immunofluorescence staining method that allows antibodies that selectively bind to specific proteins in cells or tissues to be labeled with a fluorescent material and then reacted with the protein to observe its location. This cutting-edge visualization technology completes a three-dimensional micromap of the microvessels and lymphatics in the nasal cavities of mice and humans, and identifies the molecular and cellular characteristics of the immune response beyond the morphological structure of the nasal cavity in parallel with single-cell genetic analysis. succeeded in
As a result of the analysis, it was confirmed that, in addition to the general capillaries, the venous sinus vessels circulating venous blood were distributed over a wide range in the nasal cavity. In addition, it showed a special distribution with atypical lymphatic vessels with pointed ends predominate. The ends of typical lymphatic vessels are rounded. The distribution of these blood vessels and lymph vessels is specialized to carry out an immune response against pathogens invading from the outside. In the venous sinus vessels, VCAM1 protein, which plays an important role in the migration of immune cells, was specifically expressed, and a greater number of various immune cells migrated within the atypical lymphatic vessels than in the lymphatic vessels of other organs.
The researchers also observed changes in blood vessels in the nasal cavity using experimental animal models such as allergic rhinitis and COVID-19. Interestingly, venous sinus vessels were atrophied by rhinitis, and inflammation occurred by COVID-19. In addition, we observed abnormal dilation of the venous sinus vessels with age. It was found that physiological and immune functions in the nasal cavity were weakened due to various diseases.
Research Fellow Hong Seon-pyo said, “The results of this study suggest that effective nasal immunity against viral infections can be established by activating specialized blood vessels and lymphatic vessels in the nasal cavity.” plan to do,” he said.
Director Koh Kyu-young said, “After COVID-19, concerns about ‘Disease X’, an unknown infectious disease that may occur in the future, and interest in respiratory infections have increased.” Responses are important, and understanding the function of blood vessels and lymphatics that regulate these immune responses is essential for research on preventing and treating infectious diseases.” In addition, he said, “Despite the complex structure, we succeeded in completing the 3D micromap of the blood vessels and lymphatics in the nasal cavity for the first time” and “laid the foundation for great progress in research on improving nasal immunity and intranasal drug administration.”
The results of this study, which will be a new milestone in nasal immunity research, such as identifying the cause of COVID-19 symptoms and improving rhinitis treatment, were selected as the cover paper of the international journal Nature Cardiovascular Research and published online on March 21 (Korean time). published.
논문명 : Three-dimensional morphologic and molecular atlases of nasal vasculature
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