Vaccines against periodontitis using DNA ORIGAMI and imidazoquinolines(Fostering Joint International Research)

Research Project

Project/Area Number	15KK0338
Research Category	Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Periodontology
Research Institution	Niigata University
Principal Investigator	TABETA KOICHI 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 教授 (20401763)
Project Period (FY)	2016 – 2018
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
Budget Amount *help	¥14,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥11,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥3,360,000)
Keywords	IgA / ワクチン / 唾液 / ミュータジェネシス / 歯周治療学 / 歯学 / 歯周病 / 分泌型IgA / 免疫学
Outline of Final Research Achievements	Salivary immunoglobulin (secretory IgA antibodies) plays a role in preventing oral infections such as periodontal disease. To induce secretory IgA into saliva is the effective approach in the prevention and treatment of periodontal disease. Investigation of seeking the genes that control the production of secretory IgA was conducted in this study, using ENU mouse mutagenesis that can detect functional mutation in mouse genome. As a result, the mutation named “Yummy”was isolated in the screen of the amount of the secretory IgA in mouse saliva. Genome-edited mice with yummy mutation was created and further study of the gene function of it is to be conducted in the future.
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	歯周病の高い罹患率を減少させるアプローチの一つとしてワクチン開発があり，口腔内において効果的に病原菌に対する分泌型IgAを産生することが求められる。本研究では2011年『ノーベル医学生理学賞』を受賞し，世界的高水準の研究室，研究機関を運営する，Dr. Beutler研究室との共同研究により，最先端のENUミュータジェネシスの手法を応用し，新たに分泌型IgA産生を制御する遺伝子を同定した。この分子をターゲットとした，感染症予防や歯周病医薬およびワクチンの開発の可能性が将来的に期待される。