Identification of circulating monocyte subset contributing to pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K09989
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Collagenous pathology/Allergology
• Research Institution: Nippon Medical School
• Principal Investigator: Kuwana Masataka 日本医科大学, 大学院医学研究科, 大学院教授 (50245479)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 強皮症 / 単球 / I型インターフェロン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is one of the intractable diseases and is characterized by irreversible fibrosis and vascular lesions. Peripheral blood monocytes with a unique phenotype have been identified as a central mechanism that induces all SSc lesions. In this study, we identified a series of type I interferon-inducible genes as genes upregulated in SSc monocytes using a comprehensive RNA sequencing with a next-generation sequencer. This indicates that SSc monocytes with a unique phenotype that promotes fibrosis may be induced by type I interferon.

Free Research Field

リウマチ膠原病

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

I型インターフェロンが強皮症（SSc）の病態の上流に位置することが明らかにされたことは、I型インターフェロンが早期診断に役立つ臨床検査として活用できるだけで無く、現状で根治的治療法のない難治性病態に対してI型インターフェロンを標的とした新たな治療の開発にもつながる。