Elucidation of mechanisms for basophil maturation by using RNA-seq

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K16277
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 49070:Immunology-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Miyake Kensuke 東京医科歯科大学, 統合研究機構, 特任助教 (90814533)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 好塩基球 / 1細胞RNAシーケンス / 未熟好塩基球 / 成熟好塩基球

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Basophils play critical roles in chronic allergic inflammation and the protective immunity against parasites. However, the developmental pathway of basophils remains elusive, especially at their final stage of differentiation. In this study, we assessed the differentiation trajectory of mouse basophils by virtue of single-cell RNA sequence analysis. Combining scRNA-seq analyses with flow-cytometric analyses, we identified immature-type basophils mainly reside in the bone marrow under homeostatic conditions. Immature basophils were characterized by their highly proliferative nature and differentiation capacity into mature basophils. Moreover, immature basophils displayed distinct activation properties with mature ones. Thus, the present study identified immature-type basophils which show distinctive proliferation and activation properties to mature ones.

Free Research Field

免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

好塩基球の固有の機能は長年分かっていなかったが、最近になって好塩基球がアレルギー疾患や寄生虫感染の治療標的となりうる可能性が浮上している。しかしながら、好塩基球の分化経路、特に分化の最終過程についてはほとんど明らかになっていない。本研究により、未熟好塩基球が新たに同定され、さらに未熟好塩基球の成熟メカニズムの一端が解明された。本研究成果は、アレルギー治療や寄生虫感染治療にも活かすことがでると考えられ、学術・社会的な面からも非常に意義のある研究である。