1997 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Molecular mechanism of T cell differentiation
| Project/Area Number |
08044242
|
|---|
| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for international Scientific Research
|
| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
|---|
| Section | Joint Research |
|---|
| Research Field |
Immunology
|
|---|
| Research Institution | Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Univ of Tsukuba |
|---|
Principal Investigator |
NAKAUCHI Hiromitsu Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Univ of Tsukuba, 基礎医学系, 教授 (40175485)
|
|---|
| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
GACHELINE Ga Pasteur Institute免疫研究部, 部長
SINGER Alfred Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Univ of Tsukuba, 免疫学部門, 部長
SHORTMAN Ken Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Univ of Tsukuba, Laboratory
中村 幸夫 筑波大学, 基礎医学系, 講師 (60231479)
TAKAHAMA Yousuke Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Univ of Tsukuba, 基礎医学系, 講師 (20183858)
GACHELIN Gabriel Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Univ of Tsukuba
MATSUZAKI Yumi Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Univ of Tsukuba
|
|---|
| Project Period (FY) |
1996 – 1997
|
| Keywords | T cell differentiation / lymphoid committed progenitors / MEL-14 / positive selection / granuloma / NKT cells |
|---|
| Research Abstract |
1) Dr. Shortman's group at WEHI and our group have so far identified the most primitive thymocytes can differentiate into not only T cells, but B,NK as well as dendritic cells. However, presence of the cells with equivalent capacity, namely, lymphoid committed progenitors in bone marrow has been in question. However, we have been able to show that lymphoid committed progenitors are highly enriched in CD34+c-Kit+Sca-1+Lin-Mel-14+fraction of cells in the bone marrow. Dr.Shortman's group is now trying to see if they also differentiate into dendritic cells.
2) In collaboration with Dr. Gachelin of Pasteur Institute, we have found the presence of NKT cells in granuloma formed in response to non-peptidic mycobacterium antigenic challenge. We have also confirmed that granulomas are not formed in Ja28 knock out mice in which NKT cells are lacking. Thus, NKT cells play a primary role in granuloma formatlon.
3) Utilizing a novel fetal thymus organ culture system which was developed in collaboration with Dr. Singer's group at NIH,we have shown the involvement of molecules such as c-kinase, calcineurin, and notch in T cell signaling for positive selection.furthermore, we have developed a highly efficient transduction system to introduce foreign genes into developing thymocytes using retroviral vectors.
|
