Genox Research, Inc.

Japan As Represented by General Director of Agency of National Center for Child Health & Development

Eisai Company, Limited

Yuji Sugita

Ryoichi Hashida

Takeshi Nagasu

Hirohisa Saito

Kaoru Ogawa

Tomoko Fujishima

Shinji Kagaya

Keiko Matsui

Nei Yoshida

Kenji Izuhara

Yukiho Imai

Masaya Obayashi

Tadahiro Oshida

Shigemichi Gunji

Izumi Obayashi

Yuhei Hamasaki

Gozoh Tsujimoto

Eiki Takahashi

Noriko Ohtani

Yoshihiro Yayoi

Differential expression of genes whose expression is different in the activated eosinophils of atopic dermatitis patients was measured by comparative analysis using a gene chip. As a result, the TR3 and TINUR genes, whose expression is significantly elevated in activated eosinophils, were successfully identified. The present inventors discovered that these genes can be used to test for allergic disease and to screen candidate compounds for therapeutic agents for allergic disease.

Methods of testing for allergic diseases, and therapeutic agents for treating same

SCCA1 and SCCA2 genes, whose expression were greatly changed in a plurality of cells by stimulating respiratory tract epithelial cells with IL-4 or IL-13, were obtained as allergy related genes. Furthermore, elevation of blood level of expression products of these genes accompanying bronchial asthmatic attack was elucidated. This invention provides a method of testing for bronchial asthmatic attack that uses as indicators, expression levels of these genes in biological samples.

Method of testing for bronchial asthma

The differential display method was used to search for a gene whose expression level in eosinophils collected from patients with atopic dermatitis differs in the exacerbation stage and in the remission stage. As a result, gene '2090-05' showing a significant increase in expression in eosinophils of patients in the remission stage was isolated. This gene is usable in testing for an allergic disease and screening for a candidate compound for a therapeutic agent therefor an allergic disease.

Method of testing for allergic diseases

Genes whose expression differ between that in eosinophils collected from atopic dermatitis patients of the exabartation stage and those of the remission stage were searched via a differential display method. As a result, NOR-1 (MINOR) gene was successfully identified whose expression significantly increased in eosinophils of patients in the remission stage, a stage associated with a decrease of eosinophils. The present inventors discovered that the gene can be successfully employed in testing for allergic diseases and screening for candidate compounds for therapeutic agents.

Method of testing for atopic dermatitis by measuring expression of the NOR-1 gene

T cells from multiple subjects who showed different cedar pollen specific IgE titers were prepared before and after cedar pollen dispersal, and differential display analysis was performed to screen for pollen antigen responsive genes. As a result, a novel gene was successfully isolated whose expression is significantly higher in subjects with high cedar pollen specific IgE titer. The inventors have found that it is possible to use this gene to test for an allergic disease and to screen for candidate compounds for therapeutic drugs for an allergic disease.

Pollen allergy-related gene 513

Growing community of inventors

Tsukuba, Japan

Yuji Sugita