Identification of niches of natural helper cells in non-lymphoid tissues

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K15158
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Immunology
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Motomura Yasutaka 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 統合生命医科学研究センター, 基礎科学特別研究員 (10587794)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: NH細胞 / ニッチ / アレルギー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Natural Helper (NH) cells, originally found as a new type of lymphocyte in fat-associated lymphoid cluster (FALC), exist in non-lymphoid tissues such as lung, gut and skin. In this study, intranasal administration of allergen induces the activation of lung NH cells to the accumulation of eosinophils in the lung. Eosinophil-deficient mice show the impairment of NH cell activation after allergen treatment, suggesting that the direct interaction with eosinophils regulates the activation of NH cells. We also found the eosinophil accumulation exists in the lung interspersed. These results suggest that the interaction of NH cells with eosinophils forms the microenvironments ‘niche’ in the pathogenesis of allergic disorders.

Free Research Field

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