コハク酸が好酸球性小腸炎を誘導する新たなマウスモデルを確立 ~タフト細胞-IL-25-ILC2の経路が病態形成の中心に~

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2026-09-03 成育医療研究センター

マウスにコハク酸を高濃度で21日間継続投与することで、好酸球の回腸への集積と体重増加不良を伴う好酸球性小腸炎の新たな動物モデルを確立した。解析の結果、腸管上皮のタフト細胞がコハク酸を感知し、IL-25を介してILC2を活性化、その後IL-5・IL-13による2型免疫反応が誘導される経路が病態形成の中心であることが示された。タフト細胞形成に必要なPou2f3、IL-25、IL-5を欠損させたマウスでは病態が生じず、IL-13欠損では一部の症状が残ることから、各因子の役割も明らかになった。さらに、モデルマウスの遺伝子発現にはヒトの好酸球性大腸炎・十二指腸炎との共通性が認められた。本モデルは、好酸球性消化管疾患の病態解明や、タフト細胞・IL-25を標的とする治療法の評価に活用されることが期待される。

コハク酸が好酸球性小腸炎を誘導する新たなマウスモデルを確立 ~タフト細胞-IL-25-ILC2の経路が病態形成の中心に~

<関連情報>

マウスにおいて、コハク酸の継続投与はタフト細胞-IL-25経路を介して好酸球性腸炎を誘発する Continuous succinate administration induces eosinophilic enteritis via the tuft cell-IL-25 axis in mice

Ryo Matsuoka, Yuka Hayashi, Naoko Nagano, Hiroki Sugiyama, Ayako Yamada, Keisuke Orimo, Masato Tamari, Kenichiro Motomura, Satoshi Fujita, Hisataka Nakazaki, Hiromichi Yamamoto, Taro Higuchi, Masashi Ikutani, Ken Arae, Kiyoshi Yamaguchi, Yoichi Furukawa, Katsuko Sudo, Kimihiko Oishi, Hirohisa Saito, Susumu Nakae…Kenji Matsumoto
Allergology International  Available online: 22 August 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alit.2026.08.002

Abstract

Background
Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGIDs), excluding eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), are increasingly recognized conditions with poorly understood pathogenesis. Current animal models inadequately represent the complexity of human non-EoE EGIDs, thereby limiting therapeutic development. We aim to establish a new mouse model of eosinophilic enteritis (EoN) using continuous succinate administration and elucidate the underlying immunological mechanisms.

Methods
Four-week-old wild-type C57BL/6J mice received succinate (150 mM) in drinking water for 21 days. We analyzed eosinophil infiltration, tuft cell populations, body weight changes, and cytokine expression. Knockout mice deficient in Pou2f3 (Skn-1a), Il25, Il5, Il13, and Rag2 were used to investigate mechanistic pathways. Transcriptomic analysis compared gene expression patterns between our model and human EGID datasets.

Results
Continuous succinate administration induced significant eosinophilic infiltration in the ileum (p < 0.05), accompanied by tuft cell proliferation and failure to thrive (p < 0.001). These changes occurred without neutrophil infiltration, elevated IgE levels, or diarrhea. Pou2f3 knockout mice, lacking the transcription factor required for tuft cell differentiation, showed complete abrogation of both eosinophilic inflammation and failure to thrive, demonstrating tuft cell dependency. IL-25 and IL-5 deficiency prevented eosinophilic infiltration and failure to thrive, whereas IL-13 knockout specifically blocked tuft cell proliferation. Transcriptomic analysis revealed overlap with human eosinophilic colitis gene expression patterns, particularly in IL-13 and serotonin receptor pathways.

Conclusions
We established a new mouse model of eosinophilic enteritis recapitulating key features of human non-EoE EGIDs through the tuft cell-IL-25-ILC2 axis. This model provides new insights into EGID pathogenesis and offers a valuable platform for therapeutic development.

細胞遺伝子工学
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