New study of bacteria-host interaction in the hypoxic environment

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H03467
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 49050:Bacteriology-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Toshihiko Suzuki 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 教授 (10292848)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 低酸素応答 / 宿主応答 / 細菌感染 / インフラマゾーム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Almost all multicellular organisms, including humans, cannot sustain life if they lose oxygen. On the other hand, the partial pressure of oxygen in the living body decreases toward the periphery, and the oxygen state becomes hypoxic due to physiological environmental factors and diseases. Some bacteria can grow only in a hypoxic environment, but the oxygen concentration was not considered in the in vitro experimental system for investigating the infection of these bacteria. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism between bacterial infection and the host in a hypoxic environment. As a result, it was found that host inflammatory responses different from that reported so far occurs in a hypoxic environment, and the phagocytic function of cells and the hypoxic response gene elements were involved as the cause. Through this study, we found the original bacterial infection and host response that reflected the environment of the infected site.

Free Research Field

細菌学、感染免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究を通じて、低酸素環境において今までとは異なる宿主応答機構が隠れている可能性が示唆された。低酸素環境における菌感染時の宿主応答を包括的に解析し、その分子メカニズムを解明することにより得られた新知見は、嫌気性細菌や微好気性細菌の低酸素環境下における本来の感染機構と宿主応答機構の解明に寄与できると考えられる。