Epigenetic analysis of selective control of IL-17 production, and search for new strategy to treat chronic inflammation in collagen-diseases.

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26670476
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Collagenous pathology/Allergology
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Usui Takashi 京都大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), その他 (90362483)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: GM-CSF / IL-17 / エピゲノム制御 / ヘルパーT細胞 / 間質性肺炎

Outline of Final Research Achievements

IL-17 and the GM-CSF are important cytokines to maintain chronic inflammation of collagen diseases. In this project, we analyzed the mechanisms of production in-vitro and the treatment/intervention effects in-vivo of these cytokines.First, we established murine T cell clones which produce large amount of IL-17, and non-producer clones also. We found that gene-X controlled it through the methylation of the GC island of the IL-17 promoter domain. Second, we analyzed function of IL-17- and GM-CSF-producing cells using chronic/progressive interstitial pneumonitis model (SKG+zaymosan). We found the contribution of IL-17 was relatively low and GM-CSF was essential of this model. These findings suggest the new strategies to treat human collagen diseases which are un-met.

Free Research Field

臨床免疫学