Research directed toward developing immune-recovery treatment based on inhibiting a glycosidease

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14399
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Tumor diagnostics
• Research Institution: Tokai University
• Principal Investigator: Kanie Osamu 東海大学, 先進生命科学研究所, 教授 (90291062)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): INOUE Shigeaki 東海大学, 医学部, 准教授 (30582209) ; TANAKA Katsunori 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 田中生体機能合成化学研究室, 準主任研究員 (00403098)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 高齢化 / がん / 敗血症 / 免疫療法 / 酵素阻害 / マクロファージ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A partially truncated O-glycan-carrying Gc protein is known to activate immunity as GcMAF. It is expected that controlling the blood stability of GcMAF might affect the immune response against tumor. For this reason, a research directed toward finding a new therapeutic method based on inhibition of a key enzyme, α-GalNAc-ase was carried out.
Investigation of human α-GalNase activity and the inhibitory activity of a synthetic inhibitor revealed that the particular enzyme was stored in lysosome and was inhibited by the inhibitor. It is expected that the inhibitor molecule might be potent to maintain blood-GcMAF level. The presence of α-GalNAc structure in the GcMAF was also confirmed based on mass spectrometric analysis.

Free Research Field

生物有機化学