Development of a device for capturing immune cells

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16H03181
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: KIMURA Tsuyoshi 東京医科歯科大学, 生体材料工学研究所, 准教授 (10393216)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 中村 奈緒子 芝浦工業大学, システム理工学部, 助教 (70754878)
• Research Collaborator: HASHIMOTO Yoshihide
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 生体材料 / バイオ界面 / 免疫学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are important role for cancer immunotherapy and autoimmune disease because Tregs show immune suppressive functions. For cancer immunotherapy, Tregs prevent effector T cells attacking to cancer cells. For autoimmune disease, when Tregs doesn’t work well, effector T cells attack themselves. So, in the preset study, we developed a device that capture Tregs and effector T cell specifically in order to regulate the balance of them in body. We designed the device loading a filter that was modified with non-cell adhesive polymer grafting and antibodies against Treg and effector T cells in order to capture them selectively. The filter could capture target cells effectively and selectively. The captured cells maintained the cell functions. Also, the target cells were captured under flow condition. These results suggest that the device capturing target cells was developed.

Free Research Field

材料科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で開発した免疫細胞捕集デバイスは、循環中の標的とする免疫細胞を選択的に捕獲することができ、捕獲した細胞の機能を維持させつつ回収することが可能であり、免疫調節における材料学的な点から新しい方法論と考えられる。また、本研究は免疫細胞のみならず多くの細胞種に対しても応用可能であり発展性のある研究と位置づけられる。さらに、体内での免疫調節法としての新たな知見も見出され、材料学の発展に寄与すると考えられる。