2002 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
A pathogenic role for small intestinal microflora in Kawasaki disease
| Project/Area Number |
13670839
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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 | JUNTENDO UNIVERSITY |
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Principal Investigator |
YAMASHIRO Yuichiro Juntendo University, School of Medicine, Pediatrics, professor, 医学部, 教授 (10053159)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
OHTSUKA Yoshikazu Juntendo University, School of Medicine, Pediatrics, assistant professor, 医学部, 講師 (90338335)
NAGATA Satoru Juntendo University, School of Medicine, Pediatrics, assistant professor, 医学部, 講師 (70266055)
SHIMIZU Toshiaki Juntendo University, School of Medicine, Pediatrics, associate professor, 医学部, 助教授 (30260889)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2001 – 2002
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| Keywords | Kawasaki disease / etiology / small intestinal microflora / superantigen / anaerobe |
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| Research Abstract |
In an attempt to elucidate a pathogenic role for microbial productions in Kawasaki Disease (KD), the microflora of the small intestine was investigated in 14 Japanese KD patients because it is possible that the gastrointestinal tract could be one of the primary sites of entry of bacterial toxins in those patients. We demonstrated that four kinds of gram negative bacilli, three strains of gram negative cocci and three gram positive cocci including S.aureus having superantigenic properties significantly increased the proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the respective patients as measured in a standard cell proliferation assays. One of the gram negative bacilli was a anaerobe which is hardly detected on the oral or throat mucosa. The results of western blotting suggested some exotoxins from those microorganisms may be produced in the acute phase and neutralized by intravenous gamma-globulin leading to resolution of acute manifestations in KD. Those findings strongly support the idea that KD may be caused by heterogeneous pathogens which have invaded the body of those patients through the small intestinal mucosa.
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