Elucidation of new mechanism of blood-brain barrier breakdown due to cerebral cytomegalovirus infection and search for treatment method

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K08784
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Experimental pathology
• Research Institution: Hamamatsu University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Kawasaki Hideya 浜松医科大学, 光尖端医学教育研究センター, 准教授 (90397381)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: サイトメガロウイルス / 血液脳関門 / 微粒子 / ナノスーツ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

After birth, healthy people rarely cause serious health problems due to CMV, but in recent years, the relationship between CMV antibody carriers and dementia has begun to attract attention. The detailed mechanism is unknown, but the relationship with CMV persistent infection has been pointed out. There are many reports that BBB failure is involved in the onset of dementia, and it is highly possible that CMV-induced BBB failure is a mechanism for the progression of dementia. Currently, little research has been conducted on the mechanism of BBB failure by CMV, and this application is considered to be positioned as important research in Japan and overseas, and we have proceeded with this research. The influence of the corona and the creation of the experimental model did not go well, and it was not possible to proceed as originally planned.

Free Research Field

神経ウイルス病理

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

われわれはCMV急性感染におけるin vivoでのBBB破綻現象を観察したが、未だCMV慢性持続感染によってin vivo BBB破綻現象を確認したという報告はない。本研究でその現象が確認されれば、CMV慢性持続感染による認知症を含めた変性疾患の新しい病理機序の説明をすることができる。またCMV感染のCyPA-MMP活性化経路によるBBB破綻機序が解明されれば、そこをtargetにした新しい治療につながると考えた。コロナの影響や実験モデルの作成がうまくいかず、当初の計画通りは進むことができなかった。