Molecular analysis and discovery of a new biomarker for autoimmune retinopathy

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K10890
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Ophthalmology
• Research Institution: Shinshu University
• Principal Investigator: KIKUCHI TAKANOBU 信州大学, 基盤研究支援センター, 教授 (50177797)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 太田 浩一 松本歯科大学, 歯学部, 教授 (70262730) ; 宮原 照良 信州大学, 学術研究院医学系(医学部附属病院), 講師 (80362135)
• Research Collaborator: YOSHIMURA Nagahisa 京都大学, 医学部, 教授 (70211662) ; SUGAHARA Masako 京都大学, 医学部, 大学院生 ; KAMETANI Kiyokazu 信州大学, 基盤研究支援センター, 技術専門員 ; SUZUKI Kayo 信州大学, 基盤研究支援センター, 技術専門員 ; ISIKAWA Eri 信州大学, 基盤研究支援センター, 技術員
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 自己免疫性網膜症 / 癌関連網膜症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical and immunological characterization of autoimmune retinopathy (AIR) and to determine the retinal autoantigens recognized by sera of AIR patients. Serum samples obtained from 105 AIR patients were analyzed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. We reported that AIR was associated with a variety of autoantibodies and the OCT and IHC findings showed some correlation. The 13 cDNA clones of retinal autoantigens were isolated from human retinal cDNA library by PCR and inserted into expression vector of E. coli. The recombinant proteins of retinal antigens were purified by affinity chromatography. The sera of AIR patients were examined reactivity against the recombinant proteins by WB analysis. We found that 6 retinal autoantigens were recognized with more than 7 sera from AIR patients. The retinal antigens may be a potential biomarker for diagnosis of AIR. Further investigations of the pathology associated with AIR are needed.

Free Research Field

眼科学