Discovery of new pathological processes in autoimmune diseases

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K15512
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Collagenous pathology/Allergology
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: KOHSAKA Hitoshi 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 教授 (00251554)
• Research Collaborator: TANAKA Nao 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 医員 ; SATO Motohiko 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 医員
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 膠原病 / 原発性免疫不全症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Autoimmune diseases including rheumatic diseases develop especially when the immune reactions are potent. In this regard, it seems paradoxical that autoimmune diseases are often complicated in the patients with primary immunodeficient diseases. Currently, we understand that abnormality of a single gene is responsible for suppression of immune reactions and also for aberrant hyper activation. We hypothesized that primary immunodeficiency, in turn, can follow the onset of autoimmune diseases. Our extensive investigation has disclosed a few such cases.
Following genetic analyses have disclosed gene abnormality which is not known as genes for primary immunodeficient diseases. More intensive analyses should lead to understanding of new pathology and development of new therapeutic approaches.

Free Research Field

膠原病・リウマチ内科