The evaluation of new recombinant BCG vaccine with SIV-TB co-infected cynomolgus macaques

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K05995
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 42040:Laboratory animal science-related
• Research Institution: National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition
• Principal Investigator: YAMAKAWA Natsuko 国立研究開発法人医薬基盤・健康・栄養研究所, 医薬基盤研究所 霊長類医科学研究センター, 研究員 (80712752)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 結核 / ワクチン / BCG / カニクイザル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the three major infectious diseases in the world and still kills 1.3 million people annually. The only currently approved means of TB prevention is BCG vaccination. However, as the BCG vaccine is a weakened live attenuated vaccine, its administration to immunocompromised individuals, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients and children with congenital immunodeficiency diseases, is prohibited. Therefore, we are developing a safe, universally applicable TB vaccine. In this study, a novel TB vaccine was evaluated using an animal model, the crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis), which more closely resembles the pathophysiology of TB infection in humans. The results indicated that the new vaccine tended to suppress the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in various organs more than the existing BCG vaccine.

Free Research Field

免疫応答解析

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

結核はエイズ、マラリアと共に世界三大感染症の一つであり、いまだに特にアフリカや東南アジアを中心に多くの命が失われている。現在認可されている唯一の結核ワクチン、BCGは弱毒化生ワクチンであるため、免疫力が低下している人々へは接種できない。これまで世界中で、既存のBCGワクチンよりも結核菌感染に対する防御効果が高く、副反応のリスクが低い結核ワクチンの開発が行われてきた。本研究の新規結核ワクチンが実用化されれば、日本への貢献だけでなく、これまでBCGワクチンを投与できなかった世界中の人々にとっても有意義である。