Research Theme

• Development of a Tuberculosis Vaccine that Induces Protective Immunity in Latent Carriers and Infection Blockers

Keyword

• Tuberculosis
• LTBI
• Disease Suppression
• Infection Blocking
• Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Diseases

Overview of Research

   Currently, over one million people lose their lives to tuberculosis (TB) every year. At the same time, one-quarter of the world’s human population has latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). This means that, for most infected individuals, the onset of TB is prevented. Those with LTBI experience no health problems and do not serve as sources of infection, allowing them to live normal lives. In the real world, our goal is to mimic the natural defense mechanisms against TB seen in humans and to develop a vaccine that can artificially induce this protection.
   Most vaccine development efforts to date have faced a paradox: they have tested antigens that induce the production of the cytokine IFN-gamma, essential for vaccine efficacy, more strongly in patients who have developed TB than in those with LTBI who successfully suppress the disease. Therefore, we aim to:

• Identify antigens that promote IFN-gamma production more strongly in healthy individuals who prevent TB onset and infection, particularly those in endemic areas with frequent pathogen exposure, compared to those who develop the disease.
• Explore vaccine modalities that efficiently induce protective immunity, including IFN-gamma production, in individuals who suppress TB onset or block infection
• Support the vaccine development team as members by showing animal infection models and recombinants.