2012 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Inhibitory effect of IL-16 on allergic diseases

Research Project

Project/Area Number	23791129
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	膠原病・アレルギー・感染症内科学
Research Institution	公益財団法人東京都医学総合研究所 (2012) Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (2011)
Principal Investigator	KAJIWARA Naoki 公益財団法人東京都医学総合研究所, ゲノム医科学研究分野, 主任研究員 (70453917)
Project Period (FY)	2011 – 2012
Keywords	アレルギー / 炎症 / インターロイキン-16
Research Abstract	This study aims to examine the role of IL-16 produced by CD8^+ T cells in contact dermatitis. Rag-2-deficient mice reconstituted with IL-16-deficient CD8^+ T cells exhibited severe late-phase inflammatory response and most of mice died around 7 days after hapten application. IL-17A concentration was significantly elevated in sera of IL-16-deficient CD8^+ T cells-transferred Rag2-deficient mice. In addition, increase of GOT activity and decrease of albumin/globulin ratio were observed in sera of these mice. These results indicate that IL-16 produced by CD8^+ T cells plays an inhibitory role in late-phase reaction of contact dermatitis, suggesting the existence of immunomodulatory mechanism by CD8^+ regulatory T cells.