| Project/Area Number |
16590359
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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 |
Bacteriology (including Mycology)
|
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| Research Institution | Osaka University |
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Principal Investigator |
FUJINAGA Yukako Osaka University, Institute for Microbial Diseases, SA Associate Professor (60252954)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2004 – 2005
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2005)
|
| Budget Amount *help |
¥3,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,500,000)
Fiscal Year 2005: ¥1,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000)
Fiscal Year 2004: ¥1,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000)
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| Keywords | botulinum toxin / C. botulinum / tight junction / TER |
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| Research Abstract |
The type B botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) elicits flaccid paralysis and death in humans by intoxicating peripheral nerves after oral absorption. Here, we examine the function of the hemagglutinin (HA), a non-toxic component of the large 16S BoNT complex. We find that the HA acts in the intestine to disrupt epithelial barrier function by opening intercellular tight and adherens junctions. This allows transport of BoNT and other large solutes into the systemic circulation and explains how the type B BoNT complexes are efficiently absorbed. In vitro, HA appears to act on the epithelial cell via the basolateral membrane only, suggesting the possibility of another step in the absorptive process. These studies show that the 16S BoNT complex is a multi-functional protein assembly equipped with the machinery to efficiently breach the intestinal barrier and act systemically on peripheral nerves.
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