Leishmania parasites as biological resources for immunomodulatory molecules

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K21516
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 49:Pathology, infection/immunology, and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Goto Yasuyuki 東京大学, 大学院農学生命科学研究科(農学部), 准教授 (50553434)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 中尾 洋一 早稲田大学, 理工学術院, 教授 (60282696)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: リーシュマニア / 生物資源 / 免疫制御

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Leishmania parasites proliferate within macrophages (Mφ) in the mammalian host, and they need to manipulate Mφ to ensure its efficient survival. In this study, we focused on the ability of Leishmania to regulate Mφ and aimed to identify the protozoan factors responsible for this regulation. We conducted our research by establishing screening methods, fractionating protozoan extracts, and identifying active substances. In FY2020 we succeeded to establish various screening assays, and in FY2021 fractionation-based search of active compounds were performed using the mentioned assay systems. As a result of screening, several candidate molecules were identified, but when recombinant forms of them were produced, they did not show desired activities. Therefore, we decided to improve the assays for further screening. Some active fractions were determined by the new assay, whereas we could not reach to identification of active molecules.

Free Research Field

免疫寄生虫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

寄生虫は宿主体内での生存のために宿主免疫応答を制御することが知られている。その分子機構を明らかにすれば、寄生虫疾患の対策はもちろんのこと、それ以外の疾患、つまりがんやアレルギーなど免疫関連疾患を制御可能な薬剤の開発に貢献することも期待できる。本研究を通して、リーシュマニア原虫には宿主免疫応答を修飾する物質が複数あること、そしてそれらはスクリーニングで同定可能であることを示した点で、将来への発展性も期待できる成果と言える。