Realizing a healthy, active, aged society and creating a sustainable society

New Research Results

Novel Anti-thrombogenic Coatings to Overcome Endovascular Therapy Challenges

A researcher in AIST, in collaboration with the Japan Medical Startup Incubation Program (JMPR) and N.B. Medical Corporation, has developed a novel anti-thrombogenic coating for stents used in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms.
In medical devices that come into contact with blood, the control of thrombus formation is an important factor in avoiding serious complications. Because of the placement of foreign bodies in blood vessels, patients with stents are always at risk for thrombotic complications. Therefore, antiplatelet medication is mandatory. Many antithrombotic coatings have been investigated to reduce the risk of thrombus formation. The principle of conventional coatings is that they exhibit antithrombotic properties by inhibiting nonspecific adsorption of plasma proteins. However, the inhibition of protein adsorption also means inhibition of cell adhesion. Therefore, although the antithrombogenicity is improved, the cell adhesiveness is accordingly decreased in conventional coating technology.
Recently, we have found an anti-thrombogenic coating with a new principle. This technology preferentially captures non-coagulant proteins in the blood, thereby inhibiting the blood coagulation reaction from the stent surface due to the blocking effect. This technology, which controls rather than inhibits the protein adsorption, provides anti-thrombogenic properties while simultaneously is able to improve the cell adhesion. The improved cell adhesion can accelerate the coverage of the stent with the vessel. The early coverage of the stent with the vessel means earlier completion of the stent therapy.
This technology reduces the occurrence of thrombotic complications, which have been an issue with stent therapy. Furthermore, it enables reduction of the treatment period, and thereby, the amount of antiplatelet drug use can be lower, which not only reduces the burden on patients, but also contributes to the medical cost cut.
The details of this technology were published in Scientific Reports on July 10, 2024.

Gut Microbes Prime Immunity of Pest Insects

A researcher in AIST, in collaboration with the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) of France, has clarified for the first time how pest insects become resistant to disease through the power of gut microbes.
Biological pesticides with low environmental impact are attracting attention in order to achieve sustainable agriculture. Compared to chemical pesticides, biological pesticides (e.g. pathogenic microorganisms of pest insects) can reduce residues harmful to the human body and biodiversity, but to improve their effectiveness in controlling pests, it is still necessary to know more about the immune mechanisms of pests against pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, the authors investigated the immune mechanism of the soybean pest, Riptortus pedestris, and found that some gut microbes break through the epithelial cells of the gut and interact with phagocytes and immune cells (fat body) inside the stink bug, stimulating the systemic immunity. Furthermore, the authors found that stink bugs whose immune systems are activated by gut microbes show a high survival rate even when pathogens infect them. These findings open a new window in the field of insect immunity and are important for improving the insecticidal efficiency of biopesticides.

Gut microbes breach the intestinal epithelium and activate the insect's immune system.

Open Innovation Laboratory

Since FY 2016, as a part of the “Open Innovation Arena concept” promoted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), AIST has created the concept of “open innovation laboratories” (OILs), collaborative research bases located on university campuses, and has been engaged in their provision. We are planning to establish more than ten OILs by FY 2020.

AIST will merge the basic research carried out at universities, etc. with AISTʼs goal-oriented basic research and applied technology development, and will promote bridging research and evelopment and industry by the establishment of OILs.