Licensing and activating mechanisms of NK cells

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K16119
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 54010:Hematology and medical oncology-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Harada Yui 九州大学, 薬学研究院, 准教授 (00608507)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: NK細胞 / 固形腫瘍 / GAIA-102 / 再生医療等製品

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Activated NK cells GAIA-102 produced by our original culture technology showed extremely high cytotoxicity against tumor cells derived from various tissues (K562/IMR32/HCT116/SKOV3/MCF7/Hut78, etc.). .. Contrary to what was expected, it was revealed that GAIA-102 showed higher cytotoxicity against Spheroid-forming tumor than 2D cultured tumor. The result is expected to be highly successful in solid tumors in clinical applications.

Free Research Field

腫瘍免疫学、分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

悪性腫瘍の治療に免疫が応用されるようになって以来、固形腫瘍に対する有効性の向上は大きな課題であり続けている。本研究で得られた高活性NK細胞様細胞GAIA-102がこれまで知られた免疫細胞とは異なり、腫瘍細胞が3D形状を形成した時に特に傷害活性を強く発揮する現象は、今後の臨床応用を期待するのみならず、固形腫瘍を破壊するために免疫細胞に要求される特性を明らかにし、また新たな創薬ターゲットの創出にも繋がる意義がある。