Role of membrane potential in phagocytes

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24590277
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General physiology
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Okochi Yoshifumi 大阪大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (90435818)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Umemoto Eiji 大阪大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 准教授 (90452440) ; Sakimura kenji 新潟大学, 脳研究所, 教授 (40162325) ; Okamura Yasushi 大阪大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授 (80201987) ; Tsutsui Hidekazu 北陸先端科学技術大学院大学, 准教授 (30392038)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: プロトンチャネル / 炎症 / 好中球 / 脱顆粒

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Voltage-gated proton channel regulates intracellular pH and membrane potential in phagocytes. We investigated the function of proton channel in neutrophils that are important immune cell in host defense. We found that proton channel negatively regulates the release of azurophil granules in neutrophils, which contain myeloperoxidase producing hypochlorous acid and degradative enzymes. We also found that proton channel deficient mice exhibit severer inflammation in lung than wild type mice upon fungal infection. These results suggest that proton channel suppresses inflammation through the inhibition of the granule release in neutrophils.

Free Research Field

細胞生理