Novel antigen presentation mechanism in autoimmune diseases and its significance

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K19609
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Collagenous pathology/Allergology
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: Masaru Takeshita 慶應義塾大学, 医学部(信濃町), 特任助教 (10571135)
• Research Collaborator: SUZUKI Katsuya ; ARASE Hisashi
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 自己免疫 / 抗原提示 / HLA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Full research results will be disclosed as soon as they can be released later.
Detailed examination of the binding between HLA and IgG revealed that the conformational structure of the protein is important for binding to HLA, and we also revealed which site of IgG bound to HLA. In addition, self-antigen binding to HLA could be observed in other autoimmune diseases, suggesting that this antigen presenting manner may occur in a wide range of autoimmune diseases.

Free Research Field

リウマチ・膠原病

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

HLA-DRとUnfoldingタンパク質との結合として見つかった現象を詳細に解析することで結合様式をある程度明らかにすることができ、これまで考えられていた以上に抗原提示機構が複雑かつ多様であることが明らかになった。それらの機構が自己免疫疾患でどのように働いているかを明らかにすることで、疾患の根本の病態が解明できる可能性があると思われる。