Development of artificial lymph node construction systems using a stromal cell line derived from lympho node

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K04791
• 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: Magari Masaki 岡山大学, ヘルスシステム統合科学学域, 助教 (50359882)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: リンパ節 / B細胞 / 抗体 / 濾胞樹状細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Lymphocytes circulate in the body through blood vessels, lymph vessels and secondary lymphoid tissue including lymph nodes. When pathogens invade in the body, lymphocytes initiate in immune response under the control of stromal cells in draining lymph nodes. In this project, I aim to elucidate the regulatory mechanism of stromal cells on immune cells including lymphocytes to establish stromal cells with high lymphocyte-supporting ability. Firstly, we found that expression of B cell activating factor (BAFF) and chemotaxis factor (CXCL13) in a mouse stromal cell line (FL-Y cells) promoted B cell activation and chemotaxis. We also found that SLAMF8 expressed by FL-Y cells promotes the differentiation of monocytic cells with B cell activating ability, while SLAMF5 suppresses antibody responses by B cells.

Free Research Field

免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

抗体は，病原体の排除のみならず感染予防においても有効である．実際，ワクチンの効果の一部は，体内に病原体に対する高機能な抗体を誘導することにより発揮される．ストローマ細胞は，リンパ球の集合体であるリンパ組織の構造構築のみならず，感染後に生じる高機能抗体の産生調節に重要な役割を担う．そのため，ストローマ細胞による免疫系細胞の制御機構を明らかにすることは，感染症対策やがん予防分野への展開が考えられる．