Cellular mechanisms that controls memory T cells activation in the bone marrow during secondary immune responses.

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K21331
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H06232 (2018)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2019); Single-year Grants (2018)
• Review Section: 0904:Internal medicine of the bio-information integration and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Takeshi Ito 京都大学, iPS細胞研究所, 特定拠点助教 (60825941)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-08-24 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 骨髄 / 血管内皮細胞 / 記憶T細胞 / 抗原提示

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Memory T cells are maintained in the bone marrow after infection of pathogenic organisms and vaccination. The memory T cells are crucial for efficient secondary immune responses during re-infection of the same pathogens. The bone marrow is widely known as a major hematopoietic organ, and how memory T cells in the bone marrow are activated is not fully understood. In this study, we found that bone marrow endothelial cells have a capacity to incorporate exogenous soluble antigens and cross-present them to memory CD8+ T cells in the bone marrow. In the future, we will clarify biological significance of the antigen cross-presentation capacity in bone marrow endothelial cells.

Free Research Field

免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、これまで十分には知られていなかった骨髄における記憶T細胞の活性化機構を、骨髄血管内皮細胞の抗原提示能の発見により明らかにしたものである。本研究が貢献した骨髄における抗原特異的免疫応答機構の解明は、免疫異常が原因とされる造血器疾患（再生不良性貧血・特発性血小板減少性紫斑病）の病態解明に寄与したり、造血器悪性腫瘍に対する免疫療法（CAR-T細胞療法、免疫チェックポイント阻害薬）の効果の増強に寄与するものである。