Biological roles of heat shock proteins in the regulation of mucosal homeostasis for mutual symbiosis

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25292060
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied biochemistry
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: TANI Fumito 京都大学, (連合)農学研究科(研究院), 教授 (70212040)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MASUDA Tetsuya 京都大学, 大学院農学研究科, 助教 (80311744) ; YANO Hiroyuki 京都大学, 生存圏研究所, 教授 (80192392) ; ABE Kentaro 京都大学, 生存圏研究所, 准教授 (20402935)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: ストレスタンパク質 / 制御性免疫 / 粘膜恒常性 / 腸内細菌 / ビフィズス菌 / 相利共生 / 機能材料 / ナノファイバー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We examined the physiological roles of commensal bacteria including Bifidobacterium and the biological significance of molecular diversity among heat shock proteins (HSPs) in the mucosal homeostasis orchestrated by epithelia and immune cells in the gastrointestinal tract. Regulatory functions were found to be endowed on antigen-presenting cells mediated by epithelial cells in mucosal tissues. Bifidobacterium-derived HSP acted like a symbiotic factor to regulate the activation of antigen-presenting cells. When polysaccharide nanofibers were orally administered in mice, the body weight of mice did not so much increase and also the composition of gut microflora markedly changed without causing gastrointestinal inflammation. These results suggest that cellulose or chitin nanofiber is promising as a prophylactic material to prevent allergy and atherosclerosis, leading to the well-organized immune homeostasis.

Free Research Field

食品生物学