2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Investigation of receptor-inserted antibody in malaria patients

Research Project

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Project/Area Number	21KK0137
Research Category	Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research (B))
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Review Section	Medium-sized Section 49:Pathology, infection/immunology, and related fields
Research Institution	Osaka University
Principal Investigator	IWANAGA SHIROH 大阪大学, 微生物病研究所, 教授 (20314510)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	荒瀬尚大阪大学, 微生物病研究所, 教授 (10261900) 迫口瑛史大阪大学, 微生物病研究所, 助教 (60914174) 猪原史成大阪大学, 微生物病研究所, 助教 (00800773) 安齋樹大阪大学, 微生物病研究所, 助教 (40868824)
Project Period (FY)	2021-10-07 – 2024-03-31
Keywords	マラリア原虫 / 抗体 / 感染赤血球表面抗原
Outline of Final Research Achievements	Malaria is the world's largest parasitic disease, infecting approximately 200 million people and causing about 600,000 deaths annually. Previous epidemiological studies have reported the presence of special antibodies, win which immune suppressive receptor is inserted, in patients from regions with high malaria prevalence. These antibodies bind to RIFIN, one of the surface antigens of infected red blood cells. In this study, we conducted a serological survey of patients with malaria patients in Papua Province, Indonesia, to investigate the presence of these antibodies. However, no such antibodies were detected in the 45 patients and healthy individuals tested, indicating the need for further investigation. Additionally, a novel receptor binding to RIFIN was identified, suggesting the possibility of a different form of receptor-inserted antibody.
Free Research Field	寄生虫学
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	本研究ではマラリア流行地患者の血清学的な調査を行い、免疫抑制受容体が挿入された特殊な抗体の存在について調査を行なった。今回、15名の重症患者、15名の不顕性感染者、15名の健常者を対象に血清を得て、ELISAや原虫との抗体の反応性試験をおこなったがその存在を示すことはできなかった。しかし、新たに受容体挿入抗体の標的分子であるRIFINについて、新規受容体を同定することに成功し、新たな受容体挿入抗体の存在の可能性を示すことができた。今後も引き続き、調査を続けることにより、いかにして流行地の人々が免疫を獲得していくのかが解明されると期待され、マラリア防御に貢献すると期待される。