Elucidation of pathological relationship between gut microbiota and peripheral T cell function in human inflammatory diseases

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K10009
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Collagenous pathology/Allergology
• Research Institution: St. Marianna University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Jun Shimizu 聖マリアンナ医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (30509964)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 腸内細菌叢メタゲノミクス / T細胞機能 / ベーチェット病 / 再発性多発軟骨炎

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recent advances in the fields of gut microbiota have revealed the relationships between gut microbe composition/gene function and human health. In this study, we compared the metagenomic data with peripheral T cell function in two rare inflammatory diseases, namely Behcet's disease and relapsing polychondritis. We found that gut microbe numbers decreased and peripheral T cells were overactivated in patients with Behcet's disease. On the contrary, gut microbe numbers increased and peripheral T cells showed reduced responses against stimulation in patients with relapsing polychondritis. We suggest that gut microbe compositional and functional alteration may relate to skewed T cell responses, and subsequent inflammation of the tissues in patients with the two human diseases. We believe that these results propose a new mechanism by which gut microbes affect systemic immune function in several human inflammatory diseases.

Free Research Field

医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

学術的には、2種のヒト免疫疾患にて腸内細菌叢メタゲノミクスと末梢血T細胞機能を病理的に連結させ、その病態関与の考察を世界で初めて実施したところに意義がある。今後双方において経過観察をする予定であり、診断・治療指針の確立にとって貴重なものにあると推察している。腸内細菌叢メタゲノミクスに関した3論文は、すでに計64論文に引用された（Google scholar調べ）。
社会的には、研究内容を健康管理へと発展させ、市民公開講座や医療講演等で啓蒙を図った。また米国や欧州の再発性多発軟骨炎患者より食事等について医療相談を受ける機会を得て、アドバイスや専門医への紹介等を実施した。