A study on the mechanism by which measles virus infection in placental tissue causes the prematurity or death of the fetus

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26861351
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Obstetrics and gynecology
• Research Institution: Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Kurata Takako 大阪府立公衆衛生研究所, 感染症部, 主任研究員 (70435890)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 麻疹ウイルス / 胎盤由来細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Measles is vaccine preventable disease. Recent years, the number of measles patients was decreasing due to high vaccination coverage in Japan, and the measles elimination was achieved in 2015. However, sporadic cases and small outbreaks associated with imported measles have been still reported. Measles virus (MV) infection during pregnancy increases the risk of fetal prematurity and death. However, pathophysiology of MV infection in placenta has been largely unknown. In this study, we established an in vitro model of MV infection in human placenta using human trophoblast cell lines, and examined the effect of MV infection on the placental physiology. We demonstrated that MV established a persistent infection in a trophoblast cell line JAR, and dysregulated gene expression and cell physiology through which the maintenance of pregnancy was likely interfered by MV.

Free Research Field

ウイルス学