Establishment of HTLV-1 infected non-human primate model and analysis of pathological changes by immune regulation

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K15177
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 49060:Virology-related
• Research Institution: National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition
• Principal Investigator: Urano Emiko 国立研究開発法人医薬基盤・健康・栄養研究所, 医薬基盤研究所 霊長類医科学研究センター, 研究員 (40794988)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: HTLV-1 / 霊長類モデル / 免疫制御 / 病態変化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

HTLV-1 infected non-human primate model has not been established as an animal model for HTLV-1 research due to the low success rate of infection. This study demonstrated that using a newly isolated HTLV-1 cell line as an inoculum establishes HTLV-1 infection with 100% probability in the cynomolgus monkey. Provirus and anti-HTLV-1 antibody titer were maintained during the research period, indicating that chronicle HTLV-1 infection was established in this model. The infection routes and immune regulation were examined to monitor the changes in the proviral load since the high proviral load is one high-risk factor of disease development. The disease symptoms related to HTLV-1 infection were not observed; however, the levels of proviral load were changed by the route of infection.
HTLV-1 infected cynomolgus monkey model established in this study will be useful to elucidate HTLV-1 infection and its associated disease development and to develop a prophylactic vaccine and a novel therapy.

Free Research Field

ウイルス学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

HTLV-1が発見から40年が経つが、HTLV-1感染に対する治療、発症および感染予防法等の開発は遅れている。その大きな理由としてヒトでの感染を反映する適切な動物感染モデルが無いことが挙げられる。本研究にてHTLV-1感染霊長類モデルを確立したことにより、生体内における病態変化やウイルス動態の解析を行うことが可能となった。発症メカニズムの解明や創薬研究など、侵淫国である日本が率先してやらなければならない課題である臨床応用に発展するHTLV-1感染症研究に大きく寄与すると考えられる。