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2003 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Suppression of hepatocarcinogenesis by activating natural killer T cells

Research Project

Project/Area Number 14570468
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field Gastroenterology
Research InstitutionOsaka University

Principal Investigator

TAKEHARA Tetsuo  Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Associate Professor, 医学系研究科, 助教授 (70335355)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) TOYAMA Takashi  Osaka University Hospital, Medical Staff, 医学部附属病院, 医員(臨床研究)
HIRAMATSU Naoki  Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Assistant Professor, 医学系研究科, 寄附講座教員 (30362700)
Project Period (FY) 2002 – 2003
Keywordsnatural killer cell / natural killer T cell / cancer / liver / α-galactosyl ceramide / interleukin-12 / interferon α / innate immunity / tumor
Research Abstract

Innate immune response serves as a first line of defense against carcinogenesis. Since lives contain lots of innate immune effector cells, such as NKT cells and NK cells, innate immune response may be especially important to elicit anti-tumor immunity in the liver. In the present study, we investigated anti-tumor effect elicited by administration of αGalCer or innate cytokine genes against liver tumors in mice. Administration of αGalCer, a ligand for Va14 NKT cell receptor, completely suppressed the growth of BNL hepatoma cells disseminated in the liver of syngeneic mice. αGalCer administration rapidly activated hepatic NKT cells followed by a prolonged activation of NK cells. In vivo depletion of NK cells by anti-asialo GM1 antibody completely abrogated the therapeutic effect. Injection of naked plasmid DNA encoding either IFNα gene or pIL-12 gene, but not mock plasmid, efficiently activated hepatic NK cells for 1 week and completely eradicated hepatic metastasis of CT-26 colon tumor cells. The rejection is dependent on the presence of NK cells, since in vivo depletion of NK cells by injecting asialoGM1 antibody abolished the anti-tumor activity of both gene therapies. The mice that had been protected from hepatic tumor by both therapies were challenged with subcutaneous inoculation of original tumor cells. αGalCer-or pIL-12-injected mice completely rejected re-challenged tumor cells, and pIFNa-injected mice did partially. The present study revealed that injection of αGalCer and innate cytokine genes such as IL-12 and IFNα protect from hepatic metastasis in a NKT cell or NK cell dependent manner. Furthermore, tumor rejection provoked by activation of innate immune cells efficiently induced acquired immune response against original tumor cells.

  • Research Products

    (12 results)

All Other

All Publications (12 results)

  • [Publications] Miyagi T, Takehara T, et al.: "CD1d-mediated stimulation of natural killer T cells selectively activates hepatic natural killer cells to eliminate experimentally disseminated hepatoma cells in murine liver."International Journal of Cancer. 106(1). 81-89 (2003)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Jinushi M, Takehara T, et al.: "Expression and role of MICA and MICB in human hepatocellular carcinomas and their regulation by retinoic acid."International Journal of Cancer. 104(3). 354-361 (2003)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Jinushi M, Takehara T, et al.: "Critical role of MHC class I-related chain A and B expression on interferon α-stimulated dendritic cells in NK cell activation : Impairment in chronic hepatitis C virus infection."Journal of Immunology. 170(3). 1249-1256 (2003)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Jinushi M, Takehara T, et al.: "Autocrine/paracrine IL-15 that is required for type I IFN-mediated dendritic cell expression of MHC class I-related chain A and B is impaired in hepatitis C virus infection."Journal of Immunology. 171(10). 5423-5429 (2003)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Takehara T, Takahashi H. et al.: "Suppression of Bcl-xL deamidation in human hepatocellular carcinomas."Cancer Research. 63(12). 3054-3057 (2003)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Suzuki T, Takehara T, et al.: "Intravenous injection of naked plasmid DNA encoding hepatitis B virus (HBV) produces HBV and induces humoral immune response in mice."Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 300(3). 784-788 (2003)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Miyagi T, Takehara T, Tatsumi T, Kanto T, Suzuki T, Jinushi M, Sugimoto Y, Sasaki Y, Hori M, Hayashi N.: "CD1d-mediated stimulation of natural killer T cells selectively activates hepatic natural killer cells to eliminate experimentally disseminated hepatoma cells in murine liver."Int J Cancer. 106. 81-89 (2003)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Jinushi M, Takehara T, Tatsumi T, Kanto T, Groh V, Spies T, Kimura R, Miyagi T, Mochizuki K, Sasaki Y, Hayashi N.: "Expression and role of MICA and MICB in human hepatocellular carcinomas and their regulation by retinoic acid."Int J Cancer. 104. 354-361 (2003)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Jinushi M, Takehara T, Kanto T, Tatsumi T, Groh V, Spies T, Miyagi T, Suzuki T, Sasaki Y, Hayashi N.: "Critical role of MHC class I-related chain A and B expression on interferon a-stimulated dendritic cells in NK cell activation: Impairment in chronic hepatitis C virus infection."J Immunol. 170. 1249-1256 (2003)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Jinushi M, Takehara T, Tatsumi T, Kanto T, Groh V, Spies T, Suzuki T, Miyagi T, Hayashi N.: "Autocrine/paracrine IL-15 that is required for type I IFN-mediated dendritic cell expression of MHC class I-related chain A and B is impaired in hepatitis C virus infection."J Immunol. 171. 5423-5429 (2003)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Takehara T, Takahashi H.: "Suppression of Bcl-xL deamidation in human hepatocellular carcinomas."Cancer Res. 63. 3054-3057 (2003)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Suzuki T, Takehara T, Ohkawa K, Ishida H, Jinushi M, Miyagi T, Sasaki Y, Hayashi N.: "Intravenous injection of naked plasmid DNA encoding hepatitis B virus (HBV) produces HBV and induces humoral immune response in mice."Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 300. 784-788 (2003)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より

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Published: 2005-04-19  

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