2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Epidemiological and immunological researches on the combined environmental exposures and the allergic diseases
| Project/Area Number |
15390196
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Public health/Health science
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| Research Institution | University of Toyama (2005)
Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University (2003-2004) |
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Principal Investigator |
TERANISHI Hidetoyo University of Toyama, Faculty of Medicine, Associate Professor, 医学部, 助教授 (40115184)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
KATOH Terutaka University of Toyama, Faculty of Medicine, Assistant, 医学部, 助手 (80115162)
TAIRA Hideaki Nigata University, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Professor, 大学院・自然科学研究科, 教授 (10293242)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2003 – 2005
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| Keywords | pollinosis / Japanese cedar / allergen / environmental factor / airborne pollen / Yakushima / epidemiology |
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| Research Abstract |
Recently the allergic diseases such as pollinosis increased remarkably and became an important health problem. There are many environmental factors related to the pollinosis prevalence in the Japanese archipelago. Epidemiological features of the pollinosis are also different among the regional population groups. The purpose of our researches was to investigate the relationships between the epidemiological features of pollinosis and the environmental factors among various regions in Japan.
By the airborne pollen survey, it was clarified that more cedar pollen scattered in Toyama than in Yakushima and Sado Islands, due to the meteorological factors and the island conditions. By the questionnaire survey among 6,148 inhabitants, it was proven that the pollinosis prevalence rates in Yakushima, Sado and Toyama were 11.5%, 13.6% and 17.4% respectively. The specific IgE antibody distributions (the RAST classes) showed to be higher in Toyama and lower in Yakushima. It was also shown that atopic immune response (Th2) was accelerated in Toyama. The cedar pollen allergen (Cry j 1) in Yakushima was examined by the electrophoresis and the immunoblot methods. Though any clear differences had not been recognized in the electrophoresis pattern, some variations in the pollen components were expected because the pollen had a diversity in the fluorescence property.
The dose-response relationship between the pollen exposure and the pollinosis prevalence has been clarified. Combined effects of unknown pollen allergens could be explained as a deviation from the dose-response curve using this statistical model. Further studies would be needed to establish more detailed statistical model, which elucidate more sophisticated effects of the combined factors, such as the traditional food and the forest healing effects.
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