| Project/Area Number |
15591145
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Pediatrics
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| Research Institution | Kinki University |
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Principal Investigator |
TABATA Nobutaba Kinki University, School of Medicine, Assistant professor, 医学部, 講師 (40298948)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
TAKEMURA Tsukasa Kinki University, School of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (40227054)
YANAGIDA Hidehiko Kinki University, School of Medicine, Assistant professor, 医学部, 講師 (20340789)
ABE Hiroyuki Kinki University, School of Medicine, Assistant professor, 医学部, 助手 (80309335)
MIYAZAWA Masaaki Kinki University, School of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (60167757)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2003 – 2004
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2004)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥3,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,100,000)
Fiscal Year 2004: ¥1,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000)
Fiscal Year 2003: ¥1,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000)
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| Keywords | human endogenous retrovirus / gp70 / autoantibody / nephropathy / systemic lupus erythematosus / lupus nephritis |
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| Research Abstract |
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV) have emerged as a possible cause of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We have studied whether HERVs are associated with IgA nephropathy. In the study, anti-murine endogenous retroviral gp70 autoantibodies staining revealed gp70 deposits in the mesangium.
By using the env fragment of murine endogenous retroviral gp70 as a probe in Southern blot analyses, we have detected a new HERV env sequence in human genomic library. The env was shown to have open reading frame (ORF) coding for functional protein.
To investigate whether the new HERV env protein contribute to SLE, we prepared the expression system of the env gene using Vaccinia virus transfer vectors system. Analysis of serum antibodies to expressed env gene products was done by immunofluorescence detection. Although detection of antibodies to HERV env protein was observed in some SLE patients, the results seemed to be obscure and Western blotting detection is going to be performed. Anti-gp70 autoantibodies were also suggested to react with the new HERV env protein. A little deposition of retroviral gp70 in the glomeruli was observed in almost 10% of SLE patients by anti-gp70 autoantibody immunofluorescence detection. Polymerase chain reaction revealed that the new HERV env sequence was expressed in the majority of genomic DNA.
These findings indicate that the env gene may play a role in the pathogenesis of SLE. Further studies on the functional role of the gene are needed.
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