Functional analysis of TIM molecules that regulate the pathogenesis of autoimmune and allergic diseases

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H03472
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 49030:Experimental pathology-related
• Research Institution: Juntendo University
• Principal Investigator: Akiba Hisaya 順天堂大学, 大学院医学研究科, 准教授 (60338316)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 原田 紀宏 順天堂大学, 医学部, 准教授 (10465065) ; 安倍 能之 順天堂大学, 医学部, 助教 (10647027) ; 多田 昇弘 順天堂大学, 大学院医学研究科, 先任准教授 (50338315)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 免疫学 / 炎症 / 喘息 / アレルギー疾患 / 自己免疫疾患 / 関節リウマチ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We found that soluble TIM-4 (sTIM-4), which is cleaved outside the cell membrane, binds to CD300b expressed on inflammatory cells and is involved in the pathogenesis of asthma model mice. sTIM-4 was measured in the serum of asthma patients by highly sensitive ELISA for sTIM-4, We showed that serum sTIM-4 correlated with the severity of asthma in asthmatic patients. Furthermore, we measured sTIM-4 in the serum of collagen disease patients and found that the serum sTIM-4 levels of rheumatoid arthritis patients were significantly higher than the serum sTIM-4 levels of other collagen disease patients. Serum sTIM-4 levels correlated significantly with MMP-3 and CRP, which are used as indicators of rheumatoid arthritis activity.

Free Research Field

免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

関節リウマチを初めとする自己免疫疾患や喘息・アレルギー疾患の増加が大きな社会問題となるなかで、sTIM-4は慢性化炎症を誘導あるいは維持している重要な働きを持つ分子である可能性が高く、自己免疫疾患やアレルギー疾患の治療を目的とした新たな標的分子として、また補助診断あるいは治療効果や予後予測に際して有用なサロゲートマーカーになるのではないかと考えている。