| Project/Area Number |
18580300
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Basic veterinary science/Basic zootechnical science
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| Research Institution | The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research |
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Principal Investigator |
KENJI Ogawa The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, Lab Cell Biochem, Senior Research Scientist (50251418)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2006 – 2007
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2007)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥3,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
Fiscal Year 2007: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
Fiscal Year 2006: ¥2,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,500,000)
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| Keywords | Activin A / T cells / Macrophages / マウス / 免疫担当細胞 / IgG |
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| Research Abstract |
Activins, which are homo-or heterodimers of inhibin beta subunits and members of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily, are local regulators of cell growth and differentiation. We investigated the regulatory expression of activin A in CD4^+ helper T cells. In helper T cells, increased expression of activin A was found only in Th2 cells, but not in Th1 cells, indicating that activin A production is associated with Th2 type immune responses. In parallel with the separation of helper T cells into Th1 or Th2 cells, several groups have proposed that the exposure of macrophages to a specific set of cytokines also biases them toward either an M-1 (activated macrophages) or an M-2 (alternatively activated macrophages) phenotypes. Activated macrophages metabolize L-arginine by two alternative pathways involving the enzymes iNOS or arginase. We determined if activin A has an effect on the alternative activation of macrophages similar to other Th2 cytolcines such as IL-4 and IL-13. Activin A induced macrophages to express arginase-1 (M-2 phenotype), while it inhibited inducible NO synthase expression (M-1 phenotype) induced by 1FN-γ. Taken together, these observations suggest that Activin A is a novel Th2 cytokine that promotes differentiation of macrophages toward the M-2 phenotype.
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