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Galectin-3 mediated ex vivo expansion and maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells toward their translational application in leukemia therapy

Research Project

Project/Area Number 22K07190
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Section一般
Review Section Basic Section 50010:Tumor biology-related
Research InstitutionOsaka University

Principal Investigator

JIA Weizhen  大阪大学, 微生物病研究所, 助教 (40791281)

Project Period (FY) 2022-04-01 – 2025-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2024)
Budget Amount *help
¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000)
Fiscal Year 2024: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Fiscal Year 2023: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
Fiscal Year 2022: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
KeywordsGalectin-3 / 造血幹細胞 / 体外培養 / 白血病 / 体外維持
Outline of Research at the Start

造血幹細胞は新たな血液システム再構築の原料細胞として白血病の治療や遺伝性疾患の再生医療などに広く用いられている。しかしながら、造血幹細胞は骨髄中にわずかしか存在せず、生体外で増幅する技術の開発が求められている。現状ではある程度の体外維持が可能となってきたが、未分化な状態で増幅させることは未だ困難となっている。本申請研究は申請者がこれまでに解明したGalectin-3による造血幹細胞の維持機構に立脚して、Galectin-3の発現や機能を制御することで、造血幹細胞の細胞周期を回しながら未分化性を維持・老化予防する技術の確立を目指す。さらに得られた知見より、白血病の治療への応用の可能性を検討する。

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study demonstrated that overexpression of Galectin-3 (Gal-3) suppresses aging and apoptosis in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), thereby promoting their stable expansion under ex vivo conditions. Gene expression analysis revealed significant downregulation of oxidative stress- and apoptosis-related genes. In a serial bone marrow transplantation model, Gal-3 overexpression enhanced the bone marrow reconstitution capacity. In a leukemia mouse model, it suppressed abnormal proliferation of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and corrected skewed hematopoietic differentiation. Additionally, in a human leukemia cell transplantation model, Gal-3 overexpression inhibited tumor growth and significantly prolonged recipient survival. These findings suggest that Gal-3 is a promising molecular target for maintaining HSC function and suppressing leukemia progression.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で得られる成果は、ドナー不足の解消や移植片の生着を促進するだけではなく、近年臨床応用に向けて開発が進められている遺伝子編集技術と組み合わせることにより造血幹細胞に必要な遺伝子を組み込むことで、1回の遺伝子治療で恒久的な効果が期待できる遺伝子欠損病などへも応用が可能である。また、大量な造血幹細胞培養により、これらから分化させた血小板や赤血球を用いることで輸血ドナー不足問題を解消し、より化学的に定義された培養下で得られた血液を利用できることで感染症の伝播のリスクを軽減させることにも繋がる。

Report

(4 results)
  • 2024 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2023 Research-status Report
  • 2022 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (6 results)

All 2025 2024 2023

All Journal Article (5 results) (of which Peer Reviewed: 5 results,  Open Access: 3 results) Presentation (1 results)

  • [Journal Article] CD157+ vascular endothelial cells derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells have high angiogenic potential2025

    • Author(s)
      Takii Ami、Tanabe Yukika、Li Wenting、Shiomi Hiroki、Inoue Akane、Muramatsu Fumitaka、Jia Weizhen、Takakura Nobuyuki
    • Journal Title

      Inflammation and Regeneration

      Volume: 45 Issue: 1 Pages: 14-14

    • DOI

      10.1186/s41232-025-00379-0

    • Related Report
      2024 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed
  • [Journal Article] Discovery of Transcription Factors Involved in the Maintenance of Resident Vascular Endothelial Stem Cell Properties2024

    • Author(s)
      Konishi Hirotaka、Rahmawati Fitriana N.、Okamoto Naoki、Akuta Keigo、Inukai Koichi、Jia Weizhen、Muramatsu Fumitaka、Takakura Nobuyuki
    • Journal Title

      Molecular and Cellular Biology

      Volume: 44 Issue: 1 Pages: 17-26

    • DOI

      10.1080/10985549.2023.2297997

    • Related Report
      2023 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed
  • [Journal Article] Aging impairs the ability of vascular endothelial stem cells to generate endothelial cells in mice2023

    • Author(s)
      Shota Shimizu, Tomohiro Iba, Hisamichi Naito, Fitriana Nur Rahmawati, Hirotaka Konishi, Weizhen Jia, Fumitaka Muramatsu, Nobuyuki Takakura
    • Journal Title

      Angiogenesis

      Volume: 26 Issue: 4 Pages: 567-580

    • DOI

      10.1007/s10456-023-09891-8

    • Related Report
      2023 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] Single-cell sequencing reveals the existence of fetal vascular endothelial stem cell-like cells in mouse liver2023

    • Author(s)
      Fitriana Nur Rahmawati, Tomohiro Iba, Hisamichi Naito, Shota Shimizu, Hirotaka Konishi, Weizhen Jia, Nobuyuki Takakura
    • Journal Title

      Stem Cell Research & Therapy

      Volume: 14 Issue: 1 Pages: 227-227

    • DOI

      10.1186/s13287-023-03460-y

    • Related Report
      2023 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] Cancer apelin receptor suppresses vascular mimicry in malignant melanoma2023

    • Author(s)
      Koichi Inukai, Kazuyoshi Kise, Yumiko Hayashi, Weizhen Jia, Fumitaka Muramatsu, Naoki Okamoto, Hirotaka Konishi, Keigo Akuta, Hiroyasu Kidoya, Nobuyuki Takakura
    • Journal Title

      Pathology and Oncology Research

      Volume: 29 Pages: 1610867-1610867

    • DOI

      10.3389/pore.2023.1610867

    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Presentation] Exploration of angiocrine factors that inhibit cancer cachexia2024

    • Author(s)
      Wenting Li, Weizhen Jia, Man Wang, Rahmawati Fitriana, Yukika Tanabe, Hiroki Shiomi, Nobuyuki Takakura
    • Organizer
      日本癌学会学術総会
    • Related Report
      2024 Annual Research Report

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Published: 2022-04-19   Modified: 2026-01-16  

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