The roles of regulatory T cells on the mechanisms of photosensitivity in SLE

• Project/Area Number: 18K16158
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 54020:Connective tissue disease and allergy-related
• Research Institution: Nagoya City University
• Principal Investigator: Maiko Watanabe 名古屋市立大学, 医薬学総合研究院(医学), 研究員 (20791867)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2020)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
• Keywords: SLE / 制御性T細胞 / 光線過敏 / 全身性エリテマトーデス / 紫外線

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Systemic erythematosus (SLE) has been increasing. The photosensitivity to lights including ultraviolet B(UVB) is one of the major symptoms of SLE, but its mechanisms are not clear. UVB expands immune suppressive CD4+ regulatory T cells. Therefore, the roles of regulatory T cells on photosensitivity in SLE were investigated. The functions of regulatory T cells from UVB-irradiated mice were analyzed using several mouse models, database analysis of RNA-sequencings and public database analysis. I contributed to the paper reporting that regulatory T cells from UVB-irradiated mice have a healing function.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

SLEの患者数は年々増加しているため、新しい治療の開発や発症の予防法の発見が急務である。本研究は、私たちが発見した紫外線と制御性T細胞の研究成果に基づいた独創性のあるものであり、SLEの光線過敏の病態解明、病態に基づく新たな治療の開発へ応用が期待できると考えている。これにより学術的だけでなく社会的意義が大きい。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Reply to Slominski et al.: UVB irradiation induces proenkephalin+ regulatory T cells with a wound-healing function (2021)
  • Author(s): Shime Hiroaki、Odanaka Mizuyu、Tsuiji Makoto、Matoba Takuma、Imai Masaki、Yasumizu Yoshiaki、Uraki Ryuta、Minohara Kiyoshi、Watanabe Maiko、Bonito Anthony John、Fukuyama Hidehiro、Ohkura Naganari、Sakaguchi Shimon、Morita Akimichi、Yamazaki Sayuri
  • Journal Title: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Volume: 118 Issue: 3
  • DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2021919118
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Proenkephalin+regulatory T cells expanded by ultraviolet B exposure maintain skin homeostasis with a healing function (2020)
  • Author(s): Shime Hiroaki、Odanaka Mizuyu、Tsuiji Makoto、Matoba Takuma、Imai Masaki、Yasumizu Yoshiaki、Uraki Ryuta、Minohara Kiyoshi、Watanabe Maiko、Bonito Anthony John、Fukuyama Hidehiro、Ohkura Naganari、Sakaguchi Shimon、Morita Akimichi、Yamazaki Sayuri
  • Journal Title: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Volume: 117 Issue: 34 Pages: 20696-20705
  • DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2000372117
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Remarks] 名古屋市立大学大学院医学研究科免疫学
  • URL: http://www.med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp/immunol.dir/index.html
• [Remarks] 名古屋市立大学プレスリリース掲載
  • URL: https://www.nagoya-cu.ac.jp/media/200813.pdf
• [Remarks] 名古屋市立大学大学院医学研究科免疫学教室
  • URL: http://www.med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp/immunol.dir/99_blank.html
• [Remarks] 名古屋市立大学大学院医学研究科免疫学教室
  • URL: http://www.med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp/immunol.dir/index.html