The role of skin gamma delta T cells in the pathology of prurigo ~ collaboration of type 2 and type 17 immune responses ~

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K17777
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 53050:Dermatology-related
• Research Institution: Kagoshima University
• Principal Investigator: Ibusuki Atsuko 鹿児島大学, 医歯学域鹿児島大学病院, 助教 (10596109)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: γδT細胞 / 痒疹

Outline of Final Research Achievements

IL-13 is a cytokine mainly produced by Th2-type CD4-positive αβT cells and plays an important role in atopic-type allergy. Human intraepidermal γδ T cells produce large amounts of IL-13. When prurigo patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of atopic predisposition and the lymphocytes infiltrating each skin lesion were analyzed and compared by immunostaining, γδ T cells were significantly increased in the skin lesions of prurigo patients with atopic predisposition. We will analyze more cases by clinical type of prurigo and possible factors.

Free Research Field

皮膚科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ヒトにおける痒疹病変の免疫学的応答を確認するとTh2型免疫応答と、表皮肥厚などを引き起こすTh17型免疫応答がみられる。本研究により、アトピー素因をもつ痒疹患者においてγδT細胞が増加しており病態の形成に関与している可能性が明らかになった。γδT細胞はTh2サイトカインとTh17サイトカインの産生能を有することが知られており、γδT細胞の関与する痒疹の発症機序が明らかにされれば、本疾患に対する効果的な治療法を開発する糸口がつかめると予想される。