Development of new immunological prophylaxis against indigenous fungal infections by targeting bacterial constituents

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K16256
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 49050:Bacteriology-related
• Research Institution: Fukuoka Dental College
• Principal Investigator: Tasaki Sonoko 福岡歯科大学, 口腔歯学部, 講師 (50824174)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: Candida albicans / Th17 / ワクチン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Candida albicans (C. albicans) is a common fungus in humans that causes serious fungal infections. We analyzed candidate antigenic proteins that elicit host immune responses from C. albicans components, administered the candidate antigenic proteins with adjuvants to pathological mouse models, and examined their inhibitory effects on the pathogenesis. In addition, cytokine analysis was conducted on the sera of pathological model mice. In addition, by confirming the MHC class II binding affinity of the candidate antigen proteins, we predicted the peptide sequence that could be the epitope with high affinity and narrowed down the candidate antigen peptides for the immune response against C. albicans.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学/真菌感染症

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

C. albicans は健常なヒトの皮膚や粘膜など様々な場所に常在するメジャーな真菌ですが、高齢者や免疫低下者では重篤な日和見感染症を起こす真菌でもあります。C. albicans による感染症の治療は現在抗真菌薬による薬物療法が主体ですが抗真菌薬は抗菌薬と比較して非常に数が少なく、また薬剤耐性菌の問題もあるため効果的な治療成果を上げる事が難しい現状にあります。新たな薬剤の開発は非常に費用がかかるため、真菌感染症の免疫制御機構の解析およびワクチンなどの新たな治療・予防法の検討を行うことは医療福祉の将来的に役に立つと思われます。