Development of an intranasal vaccine to prevent respiratory infections that cause exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K08514
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 53030:Respiratory medicine-related
• Research Institution: Chiba University (2023); The University of Tokyo (2020)
• Principal Investigator: Nakahashi Rika 千葉大学, 医学部附属病院, 特任准教授 (80391887)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 経鼻ワクチン / 粘膜免疫応答 / カチオン化ナノゲル / 慢性閉塞性肺疾患 / ドラッグデリバリーシステム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

COPD is an inflammatory disease of the lungs caused by smoking, and acute exacerbations due to respiratory tract infections are thought to be a severe problem. Vaccines that prevent infections are seems to be an effective means of treating these acute exacerbations, but there is still no universal and effective vaccine. In this study, hybrid antigens targeting Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae, which are known to induce COPD exacerbations, were produced, and combined with a novel delivery system, cationic nanogel, to develop a nasal vaccine. Intranasal immunization of the cationic nanogel vaccine on the COPD model mice reduced the number of Haemophilus influenzae after lung infection and suppressed the infiltration of the inflammatory cells in the lungs compared to unimmunized mice. These results suggest that our nasal vaccine can prevent severe lung inflammation caused by the respiratory infections in COPD patients.

Free Research Field

粘膜免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

COPDは、タバコの煙などを含む有害物質を長期にわたり吸入暴露することで生じる肺の炎症性疾患で、WHOによる2019年統計では、世界における死亡原因の第３位であり、年々増加傾向にある重大な疾患である。なかでも、呼吸器感染症が急性増悪を引き起こし病態や予後に大きく影響することが大きな問題となっており、本研究で目指す呼吸器感染症の予防ワクチンの創出は、この問題を大きく解決すると考えられ、社会的に意義深い。