Epigenetic regulation of lymphocyte cell division and oncogenesis

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H02751
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 49070:Immunology-related
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Yasuda Tomoharu 広島大学, 医系科学研究科(医), 教授 (40334429)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: B細胞 / T細胞 / PRC2 / 胚中心 / リンパ腫 / NKT細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The cell proliferation of immune cells is linked to the determination of their developmental direction and the characteristics of immune responses. We discovered the Eed gene, which constitutes the polycomb repressive complex PRC2, as an important regulator. We generated mice in which the Eed gene is deleted in T cells or B cells. We found that the thymic differentiation of iNKT cells is completely blocked and identified its specific molecular mechanisms. In germinal center B cell-specific Eed-deficient mice, we discovered that germinal center B cells, which are important for antibody affinity maturation, arrest at the early stage of differentiation, and the mechanism behind this was revealed.

Free Research Field

免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本申請課題では免疫系の正常と病理に直結するリンパ球分裂増殖と分化誘導の制御機構に関し、相互に関連する細胞増殖、細胞死、不死化の分岐点となる分子実態の解明を目指し研究を行った。本研究成果をさらに発展させることで、将来的にがん治療、自己免疫疾患治療、新興感染症に対するワクチン開発など様々な医療分野で役立つ可能性がある。