2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Study of the thymic dendritic cells derived from early T-cell progenitors
Project/Area Number |
21K15461
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Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
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Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
Review Section |
Basic Section 49070:Immunology-related
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Research Institution | Hokkaido University |
Principal Investigator |
Otsuka Ryo 北海道大学, 遺伝子病制御研究所, 客員研究員 (50853165)
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Project Period (FY) |
2021-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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Keywords | T細胞分化 / 胸腺 / 樹状細胞 |
Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Thymus plays an essential role in establishing immunological self-tolerance through the positive and negative selections of the developing T cells by antigen-presenting cells. Early T-cell progenitors are known to produce antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic cells in the thymus. However, the functions of T-progenitor-derived antigen-presenting cells remain understudied. In this study, we established a new experimental model to investigate the function of early T-cell progenitors. Also, we revealed that early T-cell progenitors contribute to the negative selection of self-reactive T cells through the generation of antigen-presenting cells and to the establishment of systemic immunological tolerance.
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Free Research Field |
T細胞
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Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
これまでの研究では、「初期T前駆細胞は骨髄系細胞を作製しうるか」、「どのような環境でそれが起きるか」という命題に重点が置かれてきた。本研究は、初期T前駆細胞から分化した細胞が「T細胞の選択に寄与しているのか」、「T細胞の選択において特徴的な機能を有しているか」という疑問の解明が目的であり、先行研究から得られてきた知見に基づいて、実際の生体胸腺内での機能とその重要性を見出した。
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