Explication of the function of melatonin in patients with autism who visit the dentist: about contact with innate immunity

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K17264
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 57070:Developmental dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Showa University
• Principal Investigator: KADENA MIKI 昭和大学, 歯学部, 助教 (20529367)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: メラトニン / 自閉スペクトラム症 / 自然免疫

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Sleep disturbances are a serious problem in autism spectrum disorders, and it has been reported that the brain pineal hormone melatonin levels, which controls circadian rhythms, are low, but the effect on the immune system is unknown. In our previous study, IL-6 and IFN-β production was decreased during LPS stimulation of melatonin-treated macrophages, which was expected to be signal specific. Since the results of microarray cluster analysis suggested that melatonin is involved in the suppression of bacterial and viral infections, we focused on its effect on macrophages, which are cells of the innate immune system. After melatonin treatment, macrophages were infected with encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) to analyze the antiviral response, evaluate the amount of EMCV engulfment, and observe the intracellular conditions (formation of stress granules and mitochondrial morphology) during virus infection.

Free Research Field

障害者歯科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

2020年からメラトニンが「小児期の神経発達症に伴う入眠困難」へ「メラトニン受容体作動性入眠改善剤」として保険適用された。今後はメラトニンの免疫系への影響、歯科においては歯周病への影響について検討してく必要があると考える。