Faculty of Medicine University of Miyazaki

Pathology: Pathophysiology

YUJIRO ASADA, M.D.

yasada@med.miyazaki-u.ac.jp

Summary

Our laboratory focuses on the pathogenesis of thrombosis and atherosclerosis.
Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot (thrombus). Thrombus may form in any part of the cardiovascular system, including arteries, veins the heart and the microcirculation. Arterial thrombi usually develop on the disrupted atherosclerotic lesions, causing myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke, etc. Venous thrombi likely occur in the lower limbs, which is a major cause of pulmonary thromboembolism. In this way, the thrombi can lead to serious complications. However, the mechanisms of thrombus formation and propagation remain unclear, because many factors, such as vessel wall constituents, local hemorheology, systemic thrombogenicity, also immune and inflammatory reactions, are involved in the process. We have studied the issue from the viewpoint of human and experimental pathology, and have elucidated the crucial roles of coagulation factors and blood flow alteration.

Research Projects

  1. Pathology of thrombosis
  2. Mechanisms of thrombus propagation
  3. Regulators on atherosclerotic plaque thrombogenicity
  4. Imaging of atherosclerosis and thrombosis
  5. Atherometabolism

Laboratory Techniques

  1. Histological analysis
  2. Rabbit models of atherosclerosis and thrombosis
  3. Cell culture
  4. Imaging modalities
  5. Computational fluid simulation 

Publications

  1. Matsuura Y, et al. Vascular wall hypoxia promotes arterial thrombus formation via augmentation of vascular thrombogenicity. Thromb Haemoast 2015.
  2. Okuyama N, et al. Human coronary thrombus formation is associated with degree of plaque disruption and expression of tissue factor and hexokinase II. Circ J 2015.
  3. Yamashita A, et al. Increased metabolite levels of glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathway in rabbit atherosclerotic arteries and hypoxic macrophage. Yamashita A, et al.PLoS One 2014.
  4. Sameshima N,et al. The Values of Wall Shear Stress, Turbulence Kinetic Energy and Blood Pressure Gradient are Associated with Atherosclerotic Plaque Erosion in Rabbits.J Atheroscler Thromb 2014.

 

 Hypoxic area (green) and thromobogenic factor expression (red) in rabbit atherosclerotic lesion. Thromb Haemost. 2015