Epigenetic regulation of the memory T cell response

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K08522
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Immunology
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: ONODERA Atsushi 千葉大学, 大学院医学研究院, 准教授 (10586598)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 免疫記憶 / 発生・分化 / エピジェネティクス / アレルギー・ぜんそく / 発現制御 / 抗原応答

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Formation of immunological memory after infection or vaccination is a phenomenon known for over 200 years; however, the detailed molecular mechanisms still remain unknown. We have focused on memory helper T cells that play a central role in the immunological memory and built a responsome database integrating all omics datasets we obtained with the memory T cells. Detailed analysis also revealed that epigenetic and posttranscriptional regulation of memory T cells are important for their rapid response to the cognate antigens. The epigenetic mechanism involves spatial interplay between Polycomb and Trithorax group proteins whereas the posttranscriptional mechanism involves a specific RNA binding protein. In the future, I would like to apply knowledge acquired through these studies to development of a new vaccination system or novel methods of prevention and treatment of allergic diseases.

Free Research Field

ヘルパーT細胞を中心とした免疫学とエピジェネティクスおよびその融合分野