Budget Amount *help |
¥3,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥900,000)
Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
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Outline of Final Research Achievements |
In this study, we examined the roles of BCL2 proteins in the induction of apoptosis in cells upon infection with flaviviruses, such as Japanese encephalitis virus, Dengue virus and Zika virus. We showed that survival of the infected cells depends on BCLXL, a pro-survival BCL2 protein due to suppression of the expression of another pro-survival protein, MCL1. Treatment with BCLXL inhibitors, as well as deficient BCLXL gene expression, induced BAX/BAK-dependent apoptosis upon infection with flaviviruses. Furthermore, we examined the roles of BCLXL in the death of JEV-infected cells during in vivo infection. Haploinsufficiency of the BCLXL gene, as well as administration of BH3 mimetic compounds, produced resistance to the lethal challenge of JEV infection and suppressed inflammation. These results suggest that BCLXL plays a crucial role in the survival of cells infected with flaviviruses.
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