Assistant Professor Yoshinori Koga and Associate Professor Takanori Matsui of Kurume University School of Medicine have succeeded in developing a nucleic acid drug (RAGE aptamer) that dramatically prevents the death of septicemia in model animals through joint research with Professor Shoichi Yamagishi of Showa University School of Medicine. bottom.
It is estimated that more than 500 million people worldwide die annually from sepsis, in which pathogens invade the body due to viral or bacterial infections, causing inflammation throughout the body and causing organ damage. On the other hand, treatment options are limited, and it is a serious disease for which a highly effective treatment method has not yet been established.
Recently, it has become clear that the inflammatory reaction caused by sepsis involves "RAGE," a keyway in which the glycated protein AGE (advanced glycation end product) fits. RAGE not only conveys the action of AGE, but is also involved in the action of HMGB1 (high mobility group box 1), which is a transmitter of sepsis. When infected with a pathogen or virus, HMGB1 produced in the body binds to RAGE. This causes sepsis.
In this study, we succeeded in developing a nucleic acid drug (RAGE aptamer) that closes the keyway by covering RAGE and inhibits the binding between HMGB1 and RAGE. The use of RAGE aptamers has dramatically improved the survival rate of sepsis model mice.This is the first time in the world that nucleic acid drugs have been shown to reduce septic death in model animals.
With the new coronavirus infection appearing as a pandemic and the development of new treatments for sepsis is an urgent issue, RAGE aptamers are expected to be effective treatments for sepsis due to severe infections. Will be done.
Paper information:[Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity] DNA-Aptamer Raised against Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products Improves Survival Rate in Septic Mice
