1: Organoid Transplantation Improves Survival in Short Bowel Syndrome Models by Providing Bile Acid Absorption Function / 2: Rethinking the Value of Atrial Fibrillation Screening — What Risks Should Be Targeted?
Science of the Month - February 2026
1: Organoid Transplantation Improves Survival in Short Bowel Syndrome Models by Providing Bile Acid Absorption Function
Cell Stem Cell.
2026 Jan 8;33(1):157-165.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2025.12.007
Ryoma Endo, Shinya Sugimoto, Yutaro Kuwashima, Mami Matano, Hikaru Hanyu, Sirirat Takahashi, Hirochika Kato, Taku Tanaka, Andreas Michael Sihombing, Koji Shirosaki, Yoshiko Hatano, Yuki Sugiura, Takanori Kanai, Motoshi Wada, Toshiro Sato
Small bowel transplantation is the definitive treatment for intractable small intestinal diseases such as short bowel syndrome, but challenges such as donor shortages and rejection remain. In recent years, research on regenerative medicine using organoids as an alternative therapy has progressed, but conventional methods have suffered from low engraftment rates, making it a major issue whether sufficient function can be achieved after transplantation. In this study, we focused on the importance of preserving the stroma of the intestinal tissue during transplantation and dramatically improved the engraftment rate. We demonstrated that ileal organoids can be used to reconstruct the ileal epithelium over a wide area by transplanting them into a jejunum where only the jejunal epithelium has been exfoliated without damaging the stroma. Furthermore, in a rat model of short bowel syndrome, converting the jejunum into ileum improved the pathology associated with nutrient malabsorption and showed an improvement in survival rates. Additionally, we demonstrated in vivo that the transplanted epithelium possesses ileum-specific absorption capacity for bile acids, which are specifically absorbed in the ileum and are important for lipid absorption, clarifying its physiological significance. This study demonstrates differences in region-specific functions of the small intestine and is expected to be applied to regenerative medicine to replace intestinal functions.
(Internal Medicine (Gastroenterology), Shinya Sugimoto)
2: Rethinking the Value of Atrial Fibrillation Screening — What Risks Should Be Targeted?
Yuichiro Mori, Mitsuaki Sawano, Shun Kohsaka, Yusuke Tsugawa, Motoko Yanagita, Shingo Fukuma
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major cause of stroke, but it is often asymptomatic, and its early detection is a global challenge. We addressed this issue by focusing on the infrastructure of the "health checkup system." From the perspective of having experienced medical practice in the U.S., Japan's health checkup system is a valuable resource unparalleled in the world, and we have been verifying it through registry studies and other means (JSPS 23K20336). In this context, this collaborative research was realized through interaction with the lead author of this paper, Dr. Yuichiro Mori (Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Human Health Sciences), and Dr. Shingo Fukuma (Professor at the same department), an expert in the field. In this analysis, we analyzed big data from approximately 9.5 million Kyokai Kenpo (National Health Insurance Association) members (aged 35–59) and identified 11,790 new cases of AF (approximately 1 in 2,400 people). Prognostic analysis revealed that in this "working generation," the risk of developing heart failure was actually higher than the risk of stroke (Figure). For details on the methodology (data cleaning, etc.), please refer to the journal or the podcast (Circ. on the Run). Behind AF lies not only the risk of stroke but also the risk of heart failure. We hope that our research results will lead to early intervention and prevention of such potential heart failure.
(Teikyo University/Yale Clinical Research Center, Mitsuaki Sawano; Department of Internal Medicine, Shun Kohsaka)
Other Published Papers
1: Physician-reported reasons for not prescribing guideline-directed medical therapy in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: A prospective registry analysis
European Journal of Heart Failure.
Yumiko Kawakubo Ichihara, Yasuyuki Shiraishi, Mitsuaki Sawano, Takashi Kohno, Yuji Nagatomo, Mitsunobu Kitamura, Munehisa Sakamoto, Michiru Nomoto, Atsushi Mizuno, Makoto Takei, Satoshi Shoji, Kyoko Soejima, Masaki Ieda, Shun Kohsaka, Tsutomu Yoshikawa