Pathophysiological elucidation of urticaria targeting basophils and its application to drug discovery

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K08651
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 53050:Dermatology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University (2022); Kobe University (2020-2021)
• Principal Investigator: Fukunaga Atsushi 大阪医科薬科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (10467649)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 慢性蕁麻疹 / 好塩基球 / 慢性特発性蕁麻疹 / 慢性刺激誘発性蕁麻疹

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Urticaria is classified into spontaneous and inducible types, and there are many intractable cases and disease types in which antihistamines do not relieve symptoms, and no fundamental treatment has been established. Cutaneous mast cells are involved in the pathogenesis of urticaria in urticaria, but the overall picture has not been elucidated. This study focused on the role of basophils in the pathogenesis of chronic spontaneous urticaria, which is the most common disease type, and chronic inducible urticaria, which is resistant to various treatments.
In chronic spontaneous urticaria, basophils with abnormal IgE-FcεRI signals are involved in pathogenesis, whereas in chronic inducible urticaria, basophil function is normal and may be less involved in pathogenesis. We believe that this study will contribute to the establishment of disease-type-specific treatments for urticaria.

Free Research Field

Dermatology, Allergology

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

蕁麻疹は一生涯で多くの人が罹患する痒みが強くQoLを著しく害する病気であるが、本研究においては蕁麻疹の中でも長く続く病型である慢性蕁麻疹に焦点を当て研究を行った。慢性蕁麻疹は明らかな誘因がなく続く慢性特発性蕁麻疹と特定の刺激で誘発される慢性刺激誘発性蕁麻疹に分類されどちらのタイプでも抗ヒスタミン剤の効果が不十分なことが多い。
本研究結果は慢性特発性蕁麻疹では痒みの主成分であるヒスタミンを遊離する細胞で通常血管内に存在する好塩基球が病態の形成に関わる一方で慢性刺激誘発性蕁麻疹では病態の形成に深く関わらないことを証明した。本研究は蕁麻疹の病型に特異的な治療法の確立に寄与する研究であると考えられる。