Studies on intracellular parasitization of Mycobacterium leprae for the development of laboratory examination of leprosy

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26461708
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Dermatology
• Research Institution: National Institute of Infectious Diseases
• Principal Investigator: Ishii Norihisa 国立感染症研究所, ハンセン病研究センター, センター長 (50159670)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: ハンセン病 / らい菌 / 細胞内寄生 / 脂質代謝

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We performed DNA microarray analysis of Mycobacterium lepra (M. leprae)-infected cultured macrophage cells. We found that mRNA expression of transcription factors, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR-γ and PPAR-δ) and their downstream genes related to lipid metabolism were significantly induced following M. leprae infection. We then purified mRNA from skin smear samples taken from multibacillary patients and analyzed mRNA expressions of those genes essential for lipid accumulation by RT-PCR. The expression of those genes was significantly induced in the patients, but returned to normal level after multi-drug therapy. These results suggest that RT-PCR analysis of these genes would be an useful tool for the laboratory examination to evaluate disease states of leprosy patients and also to evaluate efficacy of treatment.

Free Research Field

皮膚科学