Analysis of cytomegalovirus replication in organ-cultured cornea and genotypes of cytomegalovirus coneal endotheliitis

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K20304
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Ophthalmology
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: Hosogai Mayumi 群馬大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (20760177)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: サイトメガロウイルス / 角膜内皮炎 / 眼感染症 / ぶどう膜炎 / 次世代シーケンス / 器官培養 / PCR / 遺伝子型

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The clinical evidence for cytomegalovirus (CMV) corneal endotheliitis in immunocompetent patients has continued to accumulate, but it remains to be confirmed whether CMV can replicate in corneal endothelial cells. We have obtained the finding that CMV laboratory strains could replicate efficiently in primary cultured corneal endothelial cells. In this study, we examined growth pattern of CMV in corneal epithelium, stroma, and endothelium using organ-cultured human corneas. All CMV laboratory strains could replicate, and expand horizontally in the corneal endothelium and perpendicularly to the corneal stroma. In order to compare the genotype of the CMV laboratory strains, we attempted to sequence for the CMV genotyping using the small amount of DNA extracted from intraocular fluid of the patients. So far, we have amplified the CMV genome and accumulated sequence data. We are continuously analyzing the genotyping of CMV focusing on the indispensable genes.

Free Research Field

眼科学