2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Commensal bacteria regulate thymic Aire expression
| Project/Area Number |
25860818
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Research Field |
Collagenous pathology/Allergology
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| Research Institution | Juntendo University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
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| Keywords | Aire / commensal bacteria / thymic epithelial cell / peptidoglycan / superantigen |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Commensal bacteria are reported to function as an environmental factor to regulate intestinal inflammation and immune responses. However, it remains largely unknown whether such bacterial function exerts any effect on other immune organs distant from the intestine. In this study, the influence of commensal bacteria in the thymus was investigated using germ-free mice and Nod1-deficient mice lacking an intracellular recognition receptor for certain bacterial components. Interestingly, autoimmune regulator (Aire) expression in thymic epithelial cells (TECs) was decreased in comparison to specific pathogen-free mice and Nod1 wild-type mice, respectively. The in vitro analysis using a fetal thymus organ culture system showed that Aire expression in TECs was increased in the presence of a bacterial component or a bacterial product. These results suggest that through their products, commensal bacteria have potential to give some effect on the epithelial cells of thymus.
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| Free Research Field |
免疫学
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