Mechanisms of tissue macrophage development

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K21773
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Home-Returning Researcher Development Research)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Immunology
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: OKABE Yasutaka 京都大学, ウイルス・再生医科学研究所, 特定准教授 (50522124)
• Project Period (FY): 2016 – 2019
• Keywords: マクロファージ / 組織恒常性 / ビタミンA / 自然免疫 / 免疫学 / 組織環境

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Macrophages are one of the most multifunctional cell types performing important roles in development, host defense, homeostasis, and tissue repair. They are present in virtually every tissue and display diverse phenotypes depending on their anatomical locations where they perform specialized functions that are essential for normal tissue physiology and homeostasis. Additionally, a variety of diseases are associated with the disruption of tissue-specific macrophage functions. Aberrant macrophage functions contribute to a broad spectrum of pathologies including cancer, metabolic diseases, atherosclerosis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibrosis. Thus, uncovering the specialized functions of tissue macrophages is critical for the understanding of normal tissue functions as well as for therapeutic implication for human diseases. We have identified novel mesothelial cell type which regulate the development and the functional specialization of macrophages in body cavity.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年、マクロファージが機能的に多様性を示すことで多岐に渡る生命現象に寄与することが明らかにされつつある。同時に、マクロファージの機能異常が癌、炎症性腸疾患、リウマチ、神経変性疾患、生活習慣病、肺胞蛋白症、大理石骨病などの多岐にわたる疾患に密接に関与することが理解され、生体内におけるマクロファージ発生機構を理解することの重要性が提議されている。本研究は、マクロファージ多様性の包括的・体系的な理解の進展に貢献し、マクロファージ機能の破綻に伴う疾患の原因究明・予防に貢献する可能性が考えられる。

Free Research Field

免疫学