Identifying novel strategy for preventing heat-stroke by clarifying the underlying etiology of anhidrosis from study of exocrine control of sweat gland via innovative research methods

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K07591
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied anthropology
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University (2018-2019); Osaka University (2017)
• Principal Investigator: MUROTA Hiroyuki 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(医学系), 教授 (90363499)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 無汗症 / 発汗 / 汗腺 / トランスクリプトーム / バイオマーカー / 治療 / 病因 / 自律神経

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Heat stroke has been increasing in recent years, and has become a social problem for the lifethreating. Anhidrosis, which causes an abnormal decrease in sweating to maintain the normal body temperature, can be a potential risk of heat stroke. Among the background diseases to cause anhidrosis, acquired idiopathic systemic anhidrosis (AIGA), which is a designated intractable disease, also is major risk of heat stroke, but its etiology is still obscure. AIGA is not associated with neurological abnormalities and is therefore thought to be a sweat gland abnormality. In this study, we compared the gene expression of sweat glands capable of sweating and sweat glands that stopped sweating by innovative research technology (transcriptome analysis based on RNA sequencing), and analyzed the genes involved in AIGA.

Free Research Field

皮膚科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

無汗症の病態から発汗制御メカニズムを解明する試みは世界的に報告がない。AIGAのように汗腺を取り囲む微小環境に異常が生じる疾患はアジアに多いと予想される。暑熱環境では熱中症の原因となり、生命予後に大きく影響する疾患として考えられている。本研究では網羅的な遺伝子の解析によって、発汗障害に関わる因子を体系的に理解することができ、さらに発汗を誘発・停止させる創薬のシーズを提案できた。この成果を無汗症治療の創薬につなげることで治療の方向性を提示でき、日本のみならず広くアジア全体で熱中症リスクの軽減に貢献できる。