Re-education of T cells in the thymus

• Project/Area Number: 21790472
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Immunology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokushima
• Principal Investigator: NITTA Takeshi The University of Tokushima, 疾患ゲノム研究センター, 講師 (30373343)
• Project Period (FY): 2009 – 2010
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2010)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000); Fiscal Year 2010: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000); Fiscal Year 2009: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000)
• Keywords: 胸腺 / T細胞 / 髄質 / 免疫寛容 / 自己免疫 / 髄質上皮細胞 / RANKL

Research Abstract

The thymus is an organ that supports development and education of T cells, which play a central role in the immune system. The thymic medulla is essential for the deletion of auto-reactive immature T cells, preventing autoimmunity. Here we show that, with mice in that thymic medulla is genetically enlarged, peripheral T cells efficiently re-enter the thymic medulla. These re-entered T cells contained activated T cells and regulatory T cells, suggesting the possibility that peripheral T cells are "re-educated" in the thymic medulla.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Aire-dependent production of XCL1 mediates medullary accumulation of thymic dendritic cells and contributes to regulatory T cell development. (2011)
  • Author(s): Lei, Y., Mat Ripen, A., Ishimaru, N., Ohigashi, I., Nagasawa, T., Jeker, L.T., Bosl, M.R., Hollander, G.A., Hayashi, Y., de Waal Malefyt, R., Nitta, T., Takahama, Y.
  • Journal Title: J Exp Med 208 Pages: 383-394
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Ex-vivo expanded DC induce donor-specific central and peripheral tolerance and prolong the acceptance of donor skin allografts. (2011)
  • Author(s): Yamano, T., Watanabe, S., Hasegawa, H., Suzuki, T., Abe, R., Tahara, H., Nitta, T., Ishimaru, N., Sprent, J., Kishimoto, H.
  • Journal Title: Blood 117 Pages: 2640-2648
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Cytokine crosstalk for thymic medulla formation. (2011)
  • Author(s): Nitta, T., Ohigashi, I., Nakagawa, Y., Takahama, Y.
  • Journal Title: Curr Opin Immunol 23 Pages: 190-197
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Cytokine crosstalk for thymic medulla formation. (2011)
  • Author(s): Takeshi Nitta
  • Journal Title: Current Opinion in Immunology Volume: 23 Pages: 190-197
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Aire-dependent production of XCL1 mediates medullary accumulation of thymic dendritic cells and contributes to regulatory T cell development. (2011)
  • Author(s): Lei Yu
  • Journal Title: Journal of Experimental Medicine Volume: 208 Pages: 383-394
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Ex-vivo expanded DC induce donor-specific central and peripheral tolerance and prolong the acceptance of donor skin allografts. (2011)
  • Author(s): Tomoyoshi Yamano
  • Journal Title: Blood Volume: 117 Pages: 2640-2648
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Lymphotoxin signals from positively selected thymocytes regulate the terminal differentiation of medullary thymic epithelial cells. (2010)
  • Author(s): White, A.J., Nakamura, K., Jenkinson, W.E., Saini, M., Sinclair, C., Seddon, B., Narendran, P., Pfeffer, K., Nitta, T., Takahama, Y., Caamano, J.H., Lane, P.J.L., Jenkinson, E.J., Anderson, G.
  • Journal Title: J Immunol 185 Pages: 4769-4776
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] In situ Patrolling of Regulatory T cells is Essential for Protecting Autoimmune Exocrinopathy. (2010)
  • Author(s): Ishimaru, N., Nitta, T., Arakaki, R., Yamada, A., Lipp, M., Takahama, Y.Hayashi, Y.
  • Journal Title: PLoS One 5
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Lymphotoxin signals from positively selected thymocytes regulate the terminal differentiation of medullary thymic epithelial cells. (2010)
  • Author(s): Andrea J.White
  • Journal Title: Journal of Immunology Volume: 185 Pages: 4769-4776
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] CCR7-mediated migration of developing thymocytes to the medulla is essential for negative selection to tissue-restricted antigens. (2009)
  • Author(s): Nitta, T., Nitta, S., Lei, Y., Lipp, M., Takahama, Y.
  • Journal Title: Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106 Pages: 17129-17133
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] CCR7-mediated migration of developing thyrriocytes to the medulla is essential for negative selection to tissue-restricted antigens (2009)
  • Author(s): Takeshi Nitta
  • Journal Title: Proc.Nati.Acad.Sci.USA 106 Pages: 17129-17133
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Effects of RANKL on the thymic medulla.
  • Author(s): Ohigashi, I., Nitta, T., Lkhagvasuren E, Yasuda H, Takahama Y.
  • Journal Title: Eur J Immunol in press
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] The development of T lymphocytes in fetal thymus organ culture.
  • Author(s): Nitta, T., Ohigashi, I., Takahama, Y.
  • Journal Title: Methods Mol Biol in press
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] Role of cortical thymic epithelial cells in positive selection of T cells (2010)
  • Author(s): Takeshi Nitta
  • Organizer: JSI Young Investigator Awards Lecture in the Japanese Society for Immunology 2010 Symposium for "Cutting edge from immunology ; innateimmunity and immune regulation
  • Place of Presentation: Tokyo, Japan.(受賞講演)
  • Year and Date: 2010-12-03
• [Presentation] Role of cortical thymic epithelial cells in positive selection of T cells. (2010)
  • Author(s): Takeshi Nitta
  • Organizer: Japanese Society for Immunology 2010 Symposium for "Cutting edge from immunology ; innate immunity and immune regulation"
  • Place of Presentation: 東京都(受賞講演)
  • Year and Date: 2010-12-03
• [Presentation] 胸腺クロストークによるT細胞レパトア形成の制御 (2009)
  • Author(s): 新田剛、高浜洋介
  • Organizer: 第32回日本分子生物学会年会ワークショップ
  • Place of Presentation: 横浜
  • Year and Date: 2009-12-09
• [Presentation] 胸腺クロストークによるT細胞レパトア形成の制御 (2009)
  • Author(s): 新田剛
  • Organizer: 第32回 日本分子生物学会年会
  • Place of Presentation: 横浜
  • Year and Date: 2009-12-09
• [Remarks] ホームページ等
• [Remarks]
  • URL: http://pub2.db.tokushima-u.ac.jp/ERD/person/179106/profile-ja.html
• [Remarks]
  • URL: http://pub2.db.tokushima-u.ac.jp/ERD/person/179106/profile-ja.html
• [Patent(Industrial Property Rights)] 蛍光集団の評価装置、コンピュータ実行可能な蛍光集団の評価プログラム、及び蛍光集団の評価システム (2010)
  • Inventor(s): 高浜洋介、新田剛、中野義太郎
  • Industrial Property Rights Holder: 株式会社ニコン、国立大学法人徳島大学
  • Filing Date: 2010-01-28
• [Patent(Industrial Property Rights)] Evaluation device for fluorescent group, computer-executable evaluation program for fluorescent group, and evaluation system for fluorescent group. (2010)
  • Inventor(s): Nakano Y, Takahama Y, Nitta T.
  • Industrial Property Rights Holder: 国立大学法人徳島大学, 株式会社ニコン
  • Filing Date: 2010-01-14