Development of the RNA amplification method for single mast cell

• Project/Area Number: 16K08240
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biological pharmacy
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: Tsuchiya Soken 熊本大学, 大学院生命科学研究部(薬), 講師 (80423002)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,810,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,110,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
• Keywords: マスト細胞 / シングルセル / アレルギー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Mast cells are derived from hematopoietic stem cells, and are migrate into peripheral tissues as immature progenitor, and are differentiate into mature mast cells with various phenotypes depending on the microenvironment. As mast cells play central roles in allergy responses, it is important for development of therapies and drugs to understand the characters and properties of in vivo mature mast cells in each peripheral tissues. However, their characters and properties remains uncertain, because they are sparsely existed in the peripheral tissues. Then, I established a RNA amplification method for a transcriptome analysis of single mast cell. The yield of amplified RNA was sufficient for the single-cell transcriptome analysis and amplified RNA reflected aspects between mast cells with the distinct properties.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

アレルギー疾患の患者数は増加傾向にあり、未だ根本的な予防・治療法は開発されていない。アレルギー疾患に対する新たな治療、予防、創薬のために、アレルギー応答に中心的な役割を果たすマスト細胞の性質・特性を明らかにすることは重要であることから、本成果を活用することによってマスト細胞に対する理解が深まり、アレルギー疾患に関する新たな治療法などの開発につながることが期待される。