Elucidation of the molecular mechanism of medial temporal lobe sclerosis caused by human herpesvirus 6B infection

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K17346
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52050:Embryonic medicine and pediatrics-related
• Research Institution: Fujita Health University
• Principal Investigator: Kawamura Yoshiki 藤田医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (30581475)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: ヒトヘルペスウイルス6

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We showed previously that human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) could be detected in hippocampus and amygdala of patients with medial temporal lobe sclerosis (MTS) which was intractable epilepsy. In this study, gene expression were analyzed in brains of these patients and healthy controls to elucidate the influence of HHV-6B infection in MTS patients. HHV-6B was detected in 22 of 80 hippocampus and 8 of 30 amygdala. Two or three samples each were selected from HHV-6B detected, non-detected, or healthy brains, and next-generation sequencing was performed. In the future, we are going to compare these gene expressions between each group and analyze the influence of HHV-6 infection on the hippocampus and amygdala.

Free Research Field

感染症

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では先行研究と同様にHHV-6BがMTS患者脳で検出されることが確認され、HHV-6BのMTSへの影響の可能性が再確認された。MTSは抗てんかん薬の内服治療に対して抵抗性であることが多く、現在は手術で海馬、扁桃体を摘出することが有効である。しかしながら、この治療は侵襲性が高く低侵襲かつ有効性の高い治療が望まれている。今後、HHV-6BのMTS発症への関与が明らかにされれば、本症の発症予防あるいは治療として非侵襲的な抗ウイルス薬療法が有効である可能性が提案できると考えられる。