Therapeutic agent for immune cell migration-caused disease and method for screening same

A method for identifying an agent for treating an immune cell migration-related disease selected from the group consisting of a cardiovascular disease, a fibrotic disease, an inflammatory disease, and Alport disease, the method comprising:

• contacting an immune cell selected from the group consisting of a monocyte, a macrophage, a neutrophil, an eosinophil, a basophil, a dendritic cell, a natural killer cell, a megakaryocyte, a T cell, and a B cell with a laminin and a candidate agent selected from the group consisting of a siRNA, shRNA, miRNA, ribozyme, DNAzyme, peptide nucleic acid (PNA), antisense nucleotide, antibody, aptamer, peptide, peptide mimetic, substrate analog, natural extract, and synthetic compound, wherein the immune cell is contacted with the laminin and the candidate agent simultaneously, or the immune cell is contacted sequentially with the candidate agent followed by the laminin or with the laminin followed by the candidate agent;
• performing an assay to measure a level of lysyl tRNA synthetase (KRS) at the plasma membrane of the immune cell or a level of KRS translocated to the plasma membrane of the immune cell, wherein the KRS comprises an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1;
• and
• identifying an agent that lowers the level of KRS at the plasma membrane of the immune cell or the level of KRS translocated to the plasma membrane of the immune cell relative to the immune cell prior to the contacting step,
• whereby an agent for treating the immune cell migration-related disease is identified.