Study of the gene-engineered T cell therapy targeting GPC1 against canine solid tumors

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K23705
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0605:Veterinary medical science, animal science, and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Kato Daiki 東京大学, 大学院農学生命科学研究科(農学部), 農学特定研究員 (60843216)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 犬 / 固形腫瘍 / 腫瘍免疫 / CAR-T / グリピカン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Activated T cell therapy for dogs with tumor has been performed in veterinary medicine, but its specificity for tumors is very low and sufficient therapeutic effect has not been obtained. In gene-engineered T cell therapy, strong tumor specificity can be conducted by genetic modification of T cells, and a significant therapeutic effect has been demonstrated in human hematological tumors. In this study, we successfully demonstrated novel target antigens of canine solid tumors which are necessary for development of gene-engineered T cell therapy for canine solid tumors in the field of veterinary medicine. Moreover, we identified antibodies that recognize those tumor antigens. As a further study, the gene-engineered T cell therapy for canine solid tumors will be developed based on the results of this research.

Free Research Field

獣医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年、患者の免疫細胞を標的とした腫瘍免疫療法が明確な臨床効果を認め、新たな腫瘍治療法の一つとなった。なかでも、遺伝子改変T細胞療法は、人血液腫瘍患者において、劇的な治療効果を認め、その固形腫瘍への応用が期待されている新たな治療法である。本研究では、犬固形腫瘍を標的とした遺伝子改変T細胞療法の開発に必要な標的抗原やT細胞の培養法の実証に成功し、腫瘍免疫学分野の発展に大きく貢献した。また、発見した標的抗原は、抗体療法など別の腫瘍治療法の研究や犬腫瘍の病態解明研究への応用性も高く、獣医腫瘍学的にも価値ある成果を報告できた。