Analysis of molecular mechanism underlying immune disorder during aging

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K19937
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Health science and related fields
• Research Institution: Kansai Medical University
• Principal Investigator: MATSUDA Satoshi 関西医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (00286444)
• Research Collaborator: SUMIYOSHI Mami ; KOTANI Yui ; WATANABE Toshio
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 胸腺退縮 / mTORC1 / 胸腺上皮細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

One of the most drastic changes in the immune system during aging is “thymic involution”, which associates with decrease in numbers of thymic T cells as well as thymic epithelial cells. This thymic involution is evolutionally conserved phenomenon in all vertebrates. We have revealed, by using newly developed “artificial” thymic involution system, that mTORC1 signal in the medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTEC) plays an essential role to maintain environment in the thymus. We have already found that loss of mTORC1 signal in mTEC leads to marked decrease in numbers of thymic T cells.

Free Research Field

免疫学、細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

胸腺退縮の生理的な意義やその分子機構に関しては、適切な老化モデルが少なく、未解明な点が多く残されているのが現状である。本研究により、胸腺上皮細胞のmTORC1シグナルを欠失させることで、人為的に胸腺退縮を引き起こせることが明らかとなった。この系を用いることで、これまで謎に包まれてきた、胸腺退縮の生理的意義解明に繋がることが期待される。