Relation between the Clostridium which induce regulatory T cells in intestinal bacteria of women with preterm labor and the pathogenesis of preterm labor.

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K16864
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Obstetrics and gynecology
• Research Institution: Jichi Medical University
• Principal Investigator: NAGAYAMA SHIHO 自治医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (80741694)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 切迫早産 / 腸内細菌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We hypothesized that intestinal bacteria and the immune system are related to the pathogenesis of preterm labor, and analyzed the intestinal microbiota of pregnant women with threatened preterm labor (TPL). The results showed that the composition of the intestinal microbiota was different from that of normal pregnant women (NP). In the comparison of bacterial species, the abundance of several bacterial species significantly differed between two groups. We also established an assay system in which lymphocytes are analyzed by flow cytometry. Although the causes of preterm labor are diverse, it has been speculated that early preterm labor is associated with placental inflammation that is not caused by infection. The results of the study indicate that TPL women have a different gut microbiota from NP women. In the future, it is expected that the combination of intestinal microflora analysis and immune system analysis will lead to the elucidation of the pathogenesis of this disease.

Free Research Field

産科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

早産の原因は多様であるが、早期の流早産では感染症によらない胎盤の炎症が関連していることが推測されている。本研究の結果から切迫流早産妊婦は正常妊婦と異なる腸内細菌叢を有することが示された。腸内細菌叢の違いは免疫系や代謝系に影響を与えることが知られており、本疾患の病態にも影響を与えている可能性が示唆される。今後、腸内細菌叢解析と免疫系解析を組み合わせることにより本疾患の病態解明につながることが期待される。