Identify a role of DUSP16 as a new therapeutic target of allergy

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K09508
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57010:Oral biological science-related
• Research Institution: Kagoshima University
• Principal Investigator: Chiba Norika 鹿児島大学, 医歯学域歯学系, 助教 (00468050)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 松口 徹也 鹿児島大学, 医歯学域歯学系, 教授 (10303629) ; 大西 智和 鹿児島大学, 医歯学域歯学系, 准教授 (30244247)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: マスト細胞 / アレルギー喘息

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our goal of this study is identifying a role of DUSP16, a MAPK phosphatase, in allergy as a therapeutic target. We analyzed allergic asthma animal model using DUSP16 knockout and wildtype mice. The number of infiltrate cells into bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in asthmatic DUSP16 KO was relatively reduced in comparison with wild type. Also bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) were obtained from DUSP16 KO and wildtype. Both BMMCs were cultured in mast cell differentiation medium, and DUSP16 KO BMMCs showed slower growth than wildtype BMMCs. Also, DUSP16 gene expression in either antigen- or endotoxin-stimulated BMMCs was increased at early time point.
Thus, DUSP16 may play an important role in mast cell proliferation and differentiation and DUSP16 would be a new therapeutic target for allergic asthma.

Free Research Field

免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

アレルギー喘息などのアレルギー疾患は現代社会において世界的にも増加していることが知られており、また、その症状から患者のQOL（Quality of life）を酷く低下させることから、より効果的な治療法の開発や確立は急務である。
本研究では、アレルギー喘息モデル動物による比較や、アレルギーに関与するマスト細胞の増殖や活性化にDUSP16が重要であることが分かり、DUSP16が新たなアレルギー喘息治療のターゲットに成り得る可能性が示唆された。