• Search Research Projects
  • Search Researchers
  • How to Use
  1. Back to project page

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Study on Toxoplasma-derived brain manipulator which controls central nervous system of hosts

Research Project

  • PDF
Project/Area Number 15K15118
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Research Field Parasitology (including sanitary zoology)
Research InstitutionObihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine

Principal Investigator

Nishikawa Yoshifumi  帯広畜産大学, 原虫病研究センター, 准教授 (90431395)

Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha) MUROI Yoshikage  帯広畜産大学, 畜産学部, 准教授 (80552760)
SUZUKI Yutaka  東京大学, 新領域創成科学研究科, 教授 (40323646)
Research Collaborator MAHMOUD Motamed  
IHARA Fumiaki  
NISHIMURA Maki  
FURUOKA Hidefumi  
FEREIG Ragab  
UMEDA Kousuke  
Project Period (FY) 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
Keywords感染症 / 中枢神経系 / 免疫 / トキソプラズマ / トランスクリプトーム
Outline of Final Research Achievements

Toxoplasma gondii infects approximately one-third of the human population. T. gondii infection is a risk factor for developing mental diseases and nervous diseases. However, the mechanism(s) underlying the behavioral changes and onset of nervous diseases induced by T. gondii infection remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed at elucidation of Toxoplasma-derived brain manipulator which controls host central nervous system. We identified TgGRAI as parasite molecule affecting host signal for brain function. TgGRAI activated NFkB signal. Furthermore,experiments of mouse behavior using TgGRAI-deficient parasite suggested that TgGRAI was involved in fear memory consolidation. Our results indicated the presence of parasite molecule for manipulation of host brain function.

Free Research Field

感染免疫学

URL: 

Published: 2018-03-22  

Information User Guide FAQ News Terms of Use Attribution of KAKENHI

Powered by NII kakenhi