Development of a novel control measure for African trypanosomiasis based on the blocking of lifecycle progression

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K07467
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 49040:Parasitology-related
• Research Institution: Jikei University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Sakurai Tatsuya 東京慈恵会医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (60547777)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: アフリカトリパノソーマ / 細胞分化 / プロテオーム解析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research project aimed at elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying differentiation from the metacyclic form (MCF) to the bloodstream form (BSF) in Trypanosoma congolense. Proteomic analyses were performed using in vitro derived MCFs. We analyzed time-course changes in protein expression of the MCFs under induction of differentiation, as well as changes in protein expression when differentiation was induced using culture media of different compositions. Based on the results yielded, we searched for information on the predicted biological functions of the proteins with altered expression levels. In addition, we have introduced a plasmid vector for sufficient RNA interference in T. congolense which has been reported recently.

Free Research Field

分子寄生虫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

アフリカトリパノソーマ原虫の生活環におけるメタサイクリック型から血流型への細胞分化は、原虫感染にとって必須の生物現象であり、新規疾病制御法を開発する上で有望な標的となりうると考えられる。しかし、その分子メカニズムは未解明である。本研究及びその成果は、上記の原虫の細胞分化に関係するタンパク質の同定と、これを標的とした新規疾病制御法の開発に向けた研究の基盤となりうると考えられる。