The role of Wnt11-expressing dendritic cells in allergic airway inflammation

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K09996
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Collagenous pathology/Allergology
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Iwata Arifumi 千葉大学, 大学院医学研究院, 助教 (90436353)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 中島 裕史 千葉大学, 大学院医学研究院, 教授 (00322024)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: アレルギー / 樹状細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Bronchial asthma is a common allergic disease worldwide. Inhaled corticosteroids, bronchodilators, and biologic therapies significantly improve the exacerbations; however, these therapies could not achieve drug-free conditions. To elucidate the detailed mechanisms of the development of allergic airway inflammation is desirable. Recently, there have been a few reports that the Wnt signal affects T cell differentiation. However, the detailed mechanism is still unknown.
Therefore, this study was conducted to elucidate the role of Wnt11-producing dendritic cells in allergic airway inflammation and T cell differentiation. We identified that the kinetics of Wnt11 expression in the asthmatic lung cells and that the roles of Wnt11 expressing dendritic cells in the T cell development in vitro. We will further elucidate the mechanism.

Free Research Field

気管支喘息

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

アレルギー疾患における根治療法は存在せず、さらなる病態解明が望まれている。本研究では、発生・増殖を司るWnt蛋白のアレルギー疾患への関与を明らかにした点に学術的に意義がある。Wnt蛋白の作用は多岐の細胞にわたり、多面的な作用を及ぼすため、本研究の成果が臨床応用には直結しない。しかし、今後さらなるメカニズムの解明により特異的なシグナルカスケードを明らかにすることで、これまでのサイトカインによる免疫制御とは異なる観点からの治療戦略が生まれることから、従来の免疫抑制療法に抵抗性の難治性患者への新規治療に結び付く可能性がある。