Development of a therapeutic vaccine targeting IL17A for treatment of spondyloarthritis.

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K09103
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56020:Orthopedics-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Tomita Tetsuya 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 寄附講座准教授 (30283766)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 中神 啓徳 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 寄附講座教授 (20325369) ; 二井 数馬 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 助教 (30588380) ; 吉川 秀樹 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 理事・副学長 (60191558) ; 岡田 随象 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (70727411) ; 玉城 雅史 大阪大学, キャンパスライフ健康支援センター, 助教 (90837535)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 脊椎関節炎 / HLA / B-27 / IL-17A / 療法 / 強直性脊椎炎 / ワクチン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Ankylosing spondylitis is major disease of spondyloarthritis (SpA), resulting in ankylosis of the spine with bone erosion and new bone formation. Recently, interleukin (IL) 17A has been focused as a strong mediator for bone disruption and formation. We have been focusing on therapeutic vaccines, by which therapeutic antibodies could be produced individually for long term. In this study, we developed a therapeutic vaccine for ankylosing spondylitis by targeting IL17A and evaluated its pharmacological effect by using SpA model in rats. In this study, we found that IL17A peptide-based vaccine with adjuvant successfully induced antibody production, and suppressed arthritis clinically. X-ray and histological analysis showed that enthesitis, bone destruction were inhibited by vaccine, compared with control. We confirmed that vaccine has no toxic effect on tissues. These suggested that therapeutic vaccine targeting IL17A could be a fascinating therapeutic option for SpA.

Free Research Field

整形外科、脊椎関節炎

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

強直性脊椎炎は10-20代に発症し、炎症性背部痛のため就学・就労に大きな支障が生じる。治療として生物学的製剤が使用され、その有効性が高いが、高価であり、頻回の投与が必要である。我々が本研究課題で開発したIL-17A治療ワクチンは疾患モデルではその有効性、安全性が確認できた。今後実用化されれば安価であり、投与回数も半減できることから、同疾患で苦しむ患者には学術的また経済的にもその社会的意義は大きいと考えられる。