希少免疫細胞が命を救う―ARDS回復の鍵は好塩基球~“アレルギーの悪玉”が肺の炎症を抑える善玉に、新たな治療法開発に期待~

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2025-07-31 東京科学大学

東京科学大学の研究チームは、致死的な急性呼吸促迫症候群(ARDS)の回復に、血中にわずか0.5%しか存在しない免疫細胞「好塩基球」が重要な役割を果たすことを発見した。ARDSモデルマウスの解析と1細胞RNAシーケンスにより、好塩基球が肺へ移動してサイトカインIL-4を分泌し、好中球の活性抑制とアポトーシス誘導を通じて炎症を収束させるメカニズムを解明。好塩基球がIL-4を産生できないマウスでは炎症が悪化し、IL-4の機能的関与が裏付けられた。これまでアレルギー疾患の「悪玉」とされてきた好塩基球が、「善玉」としてARDSの回復を促す新たな役割を持つことが明らかとなり、将来的な治療標的としての可能性が示された。成果は『European Respiratory Journal』に掲載。

希少免疫細胞が命を救う―ARDS回復の鍵は好塩基球~“アレルギーの悪玉”が肺の炎症を抑える善玉に、新たな治療法開発に期待~
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急性呼吸窮迫症候群の解消における好塩基球の新たな役割 Emerging roles of basophils in the resolution of the acute respiratory distress syndrome

Seiko Takasawa,Tomoya Tateishi,Jun Sugihara,…
European Respiratory Journal  Published:31 July 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.01150-2024

Abstract

Background

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe form of lung failure with a high mortality rate and no effective pharmacological therapy. Although the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in ARDS onset have been extensively studied, those governing its resolution remain unclear. Recent human cohort studies have suggested an association between ARDS severity and low blood basophil count. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the roles of basophils in ARDS pathogenesis and resolution.

Methods

We examined the effects of basophil depletion in lipopolysaccharide-induced ARDS model mice and assessed the roles of basophils in ARDS onset and resolution using genetically engineered mice and single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis.

Results

Intratracheal administration of lipopolysaccharides induced severe lung inflammation, characterised by extensive neutrophil infiltration, followed by gradual recovery to homeostatic conditions. Basophil depletion impaired the resolution but not the induction of lung inflammation, highlighting the critical role of basophils in the resolution phase of ARDS. Basophils accumulated in the lungs were the primary sources of the cytokine IL-4. Mice with basophil-specific IL-4 deficiency failed to resolve lung inflammation, as did mice with neutrophil-specific IL-4 receptor deficiency. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that basophil-derived IL-4 acted on neutrophils to suppress the anti-apoptotic gene and pro-inflammatory mediator expression.

Conclusions

Overall, our findings revealed that basophils played essential roles in the ARDS resolution phase, primarily by producing IL-4, which acted on neutrophils to alleviate lung inflammation in ARDS model mice.

医療・健康
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