Novel immune organs producing innate lymphoid cells - function and abnormality of mediastinal fat-associated lymphoid clusters -

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K15388
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Integrative animal science
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Elewa Yaser 北海道大学, 獣医学研究院, 助教 (30782221)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: autoimmune disease / Lung fibrosis / pneumonities / natural helper cells / innate immunity

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I revealed the sex-related differences in autoimmune-induced lung lesions in MRL/MpJ-fas lpr mice and its relationship with the development of a novel mediastinal fat-associated lymphoid clusters (MFALCs). I could publish these data in one high impact (Elewa et al. 2017, Autoimmunity). Additionally, I revealed the pathogenesis of lung lesion progression, and their correlation with MFALCs morphologies in bleomycin-induced pneumonitis mice. From the data analysis of this experiment, I could publish in one high impact Journal (Elewa et al. 2018, Front. Immunol.). Also, I collaborated with doing research with other researchers within my lab and other institutions inside Japan and outside Japan and from this collaboration, I could publish the data in high impacted Journal (Elewa et al. 2019, ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY) as first author as well as in more than 30 Journals as co-author .

Free Research Field

immunity and respiratory diseases

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

We clarified the contribution of MFALCs in the pathogenesis of lung injury in several mice models. Therefore, this study could open the bright future of human respiratory diseases by introducing innovative therapeutic strategy for respiratory diseases via interfering with some pathways via MFALCs