Analysis of chronic inflammation in the Alzheimer's brain and development of the treatment for the suppression of T cell activation.

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24591266
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurology
• Research Institution: Saga University
• Principal Investigator: HARA Hideo 佐賀大学, 医学部, 教授 (00260381)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: アルツハイマー病 / 脳炎 / 炎症性サイトカイン / リンパ球 / 免疫抑制因子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Aβ vaccines were developed for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. However, clinical trial of active immunization of Aβ peptides showed that 6% of patients suffered from meningoencephalitis. It is thought that the cause of meningoencephalitis may be mainly due to the CD4+ T cells reactive to Aβ. We found new function of SPARC/osteonectin, extracellular cysteine-rich matrix protein as immune-suppressant, and we tried to suppress inflammation under the conditions of Aβ peptide-active immunization and transfer of Aβ－reactive encephalitogenic T cells to APP transgenic mice by SPARC/osteonectin. SPARC/osteonectin suppressed infiltrations of lymphocytes into the brain and also down-regulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α.

Free Research Field

神経内科学