Importance of NK cell function in the mechanisms responsible for tumor evasion of immune surveillance against hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation

• Project/Area Number: 24590963
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Gastroenterology
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: YAMAGIWA Satoshi 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 助教 (10419327)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAKAMURA Masaaki 新潟大学, 医歯学総合病院, 特任助教 (20422602) ; MATSUDA Yasunobu 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 准教授 (40334669)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥5,330,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,230,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥2,860,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥660,000)
• Keywords: NK細胞 / 肝癌 / 肝移植 / 免疫監視 / 肝細胞癌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We analysed mainly the function of natural killer (NK) cells in the liver and blood of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) before and after liver transplantation (LT), but any specific immune markers associated with the recurrence of HCC after LT could not be defined. However, we revealed that anti-NK cell activation ligand antibody and soluble immune checkpoint molecule were detected in the blood of patients with HCC. Our results may help unveiling the mechanisms responsible for tumor evasion of immune surveillance against HCC.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] A single-institution experience with artificial liver support for acute liver failure and late-onset hepatic failure (2015)
  • Author(s): Yamagiwa S, et al.
  • Journal Title: Hepatogastroenterology Volume: 印刷中
  • Peer Reviewed / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Efficacy of cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy for malignant ascites (2015)
  • Author(s): Kamimura H, Yamagiwa S, et al.
  • Journal Title: Hepatogastroenterology Volume: 印刷中
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Increase of fucosylated alpha-fetoprotein fraction at the onset of autoimmune hepatitis and acute liver failure (2014)
  • Author(s): Yamagiwa S, et al.
  • Journal Title: Hepatology Research Volume: 44(14) Issue: 14
  • DOI: 10.1111/hepr.12318
  • Peer Reviewed / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Imbalance between CD56^+bright and CD56^+dim natural killer cell subsets in the liver of patients with recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation (2014)
  • Author(s): Yamagiwa S, et al.
  • Journal Title: Biomedical Research Volume: 35 Issue: 3 Pages: 177-184
  • DOI: 10.2220/biomedres.35.177
  • NAID: 130004470865
  • ISSN: 0388-6107, 1880-313X
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Presence of antibodies against self human leukocyte antigen class II molecules in autoimmune hepatitis (2014)
  • Author(s): Yamagiwa S, et al.
  • Journal Title: International Journal of Medical Sciences Volume: 11(9) Issue: 9 Pages: 850-856
  • DOI: 10.7150/ijms.8633
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Autoantibodies in primary biliary cirrhosis: Recent progress in research on the pathogenetic and clinical significance (2014)
  • Author(s): Yamagiwa S, et al.
  • Journal Title: World Journal of Gastroenterology Volume: 20(10) Issue: 10 Pages: 2606-2612
  • DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i10.2606
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Increased activated natural killer T cells in the liver of patients with advancedstage primary biliary cirrhosis (2014)
  • Author(s): Aso-Ishimoto Y, Yamagiwa S, et al.
  • Journal Title: Biomedical Research Volume: 35 Issue: 2 Pages: 161-169
  • DOI: 10.2220/biomedres.35.161
  • NAID: 130004470862
  • ISSN: 0388-6107, 1880-313X
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Involvement of liver-intestine cadherin in cancer progression. (2013)
  • Author(s): Takamura M, Yamagiwa S, Matsuda Y, Ichida T, Aoyagi Y.
  • Journal Title: Med Mol Morphol. Volume: 46 Issue: 1 Pages: 1-7
  • DOI: 10.1007/s00795-012-0003-y
  • NAID: 10031171357
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Comparison of liver fibrosis biomarkers and proposal of a simple scoring system for prediction of severe fibrosis in Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis C. (2013)
  • Author(s): Tamura Y, Yamagiwa S, et al.
  • Journal Title: Hepatogastroenterology Volume: -
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] Efficacy and safety of telaprevir-based triple therapy for patients aged 66 years and older with genotype 1b chronic hepatitis C (2014)
  • Author(s): Yamagiwa S, et al.
  • Organizer: アメリカ肝臓病学会（AASLD） 第65回年次総会
  • Place of Presentation: John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center, Boston, MA, USA
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-09
• [Presentation] 多施設におけるC型慢性肝炎に対するTVR 3剤併用療法の治療成績と治療効果予測 (2014)
  • Author(s): 山際 訓，他
  • Organizer: 第50回日本肝臓学会総会
  • Place of Presentation: ホテルニューオータニ
  • Year and Date: 2014-05-30
• [Presentation] 自己免疫性肝炎の肝細胞傷害におけるMHC class II分子の関与 (2013)
  • Author(s): 上村博輝，山際 訓，青柳 豊
  • Organizer: 第17回日本肝臓学会大会 パネルディスカッション4
  • Place of Presentation: グランドプリンスホテル国際館パミール
• [Presentation] Presence of antibodies against self-HLA class II molecules in autoimmune hepatitis (2012)
  • Author(s): Yamagiwa S, et al.
  • Organizer: The Liver Meeting AASLD's 63rd Annual Meeting
  • Place of Presentation: Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA, USA
• [Remarks] 新潟大学消化器内科HP
  • URL: http://www.med.niigata-u.ac.jp/in3/outline/index.html