Antigen affinity-dependent regulation of B cell antigen receptor signaling

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K05231
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 27040:Biofunction and bioprocess engineering-related
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Kanayama Naoki 岡山大学, ヘルスシステム統合科学学域, 准教授 (70304334)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 抗体 / 親和性成熟 / 抗原受容体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using the chicken B cell line DT40, which has the ability to spontaneously mutate to antibody genes, we have been constructing an in vitro antibody generation technology that mimics an in vivo antibody generation system. In the course of this work, we found that there are genes whose expression levels change in response to the signal intensity elicited, depending on the affinity of antigen binding to the antigen receptor. In this study, we found genes whose expression depends on the affinity between the antigen receptor and the antigen, and affinity-dependent signaling mechanisms that are assumed to regulate their expression. By applying these findings, we believe that it is possible to develop a technology to convert the intensity of antigen receptor signals into the intensity of cell survival signals and to mimic the efficient selection mechanism of high affinity antibodies in vivo.

Free Research Field

細胞工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、B細胞の抗原レセプターシグナル伝達系が抗原との親和性の強弱を区別する機構に関して重要な知見となる。また、本研究の成果は、こうした生体内の高親和性抗体産生機構の理解だけでなく、効率的な抗体作製技術の開発にも重要である。