2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Molecular biological studies on the pathophysiology and prophylactic treatment of postviral olfactory disorder

Research Project

Project/Area Number	23791878
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Otorhinolaryngology
Research Institution	The University of Tokyo
Principal Investigator	KANAYA Kaori 東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 臨床登録医 (90456129)
Project Period (FY)	2011 – 2013
Keywords	ウイルス性嗅覚障害 / Toll-like receptor 3 / Poly(I:C) / 好中球
Research Abstract	The pathogenesis of postviral olfactory disorder (PVOD) has not been clarified. In this study, we investigated the secondary damage of olfactory neuroepithelium caused by host immune responses. Intranasal administration of Poly(I:C), which is a synthetic analog of viral double-stranded RNA, induced the inflammatory cells infiltration and the olfactory neuroepithelial damage. The damage was significantly inhibited by a neutrophil elastase inhibitor and was suppressed in neutropenic model mice. These findings suggest that neutrophils are deeply involved in the olfactory neuroepithelial damage. Thus the inhibition of neutrophil-mediated tissue damage could be a prophylactic strategy for PVOD.

(3 results)