Project/Area Number |
13575039
|
Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
|
Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
Section | 海外学術 |
Research Field |
Laboratory animal science
|
Research Institution | Central Institute for Experimental Animals |
Principal Investigator |
ITO Mamoru Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Laboratory of Immunology, Chief Researcher (00176364)
|
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
KAMIYA Haruo Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Professor (70002079)
SATO Hiroshi Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Lecturer (90211945)
OKU Yuzaburo Hokkaido University, Graduatae School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Associate Professor (60133716)
|
Project Period (FY) |
2001 – 2003
|
Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2003)
|
Budget Amount *help |
¥12,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥12,300,000)
Fiscal Year 2003: ¥3,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,700,000)
Fiscal Year 2002: ¥4,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,300,000)
Fiscal Year 2001: ¥4,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,300,000)
|
Keywords | Gerbil / China / Experimentation / Model for infectious diseases / Immunology / Phylogeny |
Research Abstract |
In order to investigate the potential use of Chinese gerbils as a laboratory animal model for human infectious diseases, we performed field surveys of wild rodents including gerbils living in the northwestern (Ily), southern (Quimo) and western (Kashu and Khotan) areas of the Xinjiang-Uygur autonomous regions of China three times between 2001 and 2003. In total, 340 small rodents of 10 species including gerbils were captured in the surveys, parasitological examinations of the rodents were performed, and fecal and DNA samples were also collected. PCR analysis using fecal samples revealed that Helicobacter spp. was widespread in wild rodents but H.pylori was not detected in any genera tested. Experimental infections of the captured gerbils with human pathogens, Helicobacter pylori, Trichinera spilaris, Echinococcus spp and Leishmania infantum were also performed to investigate sensitivity of infection in the gerbils. In order to clarify the phylogenic relationships among seven species of gerbils living in China, DNA sequences of parts of the mitochondrial cytochrome b and cylochrome c oxidase subunit II genes were determined and compared. These studies revealed that regional variations exist in Meriones meridianus and that M.chengi, which was considered as an independent species, was actually a synonym of M.meridianus. These DNA sequences registered in GenBank may contribute to the phylogenic study on gerbils world wide.
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