Molecular basis of immune homeostasis originating from the thymus

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H03464
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 49030:Experimental pathology-related
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: KIMURA Motoko 千葉大学, 大学院医学研究院, 教授 (00345018)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 制御性T細胞 / CD69 / γδT細胞 / 胸腺 / 恒常性維持

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Regulatory T cells and Innate-like T cells that are differentiated by the thymic agonist selection such as natural killer T cells and γδT cells, are known to play important roles in regulating autoimmune diseases, tissue homeostasis, cancer immunity, and various inflammatory responses. However, the details of their subsets, differentiation mechanisms, and functions remain unclear. In this study, we focused on the CD69 molecule, which has been known as an activation marker of leukocytes, and found that CD69 regulates the differentiation and function of the regulatory T cells and innate-like T cells. CD69 expressed by T cells was found to be involved in tissue homeostasis and anti-tumor immune responses.

Free Research Field

免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

制御性T細胞や自然免疫型T細胞（NKT細胞、γδT細胞など）は、感染に対する免疫応答や抗腫瘍免疫応答に働くだけでなく、組織の恒常性維持に寄与することが明らかとなってきた。本研究では、CD69分子が、これらの細胞の分化・維持・機能を制御することを見出した。この事実は、将来的に、ヒトの炎症性疾患や腫瘍に対する新たな治療法開発に貢献できる可能性を示唆する。