Analysis of mechanisms for suppressing gastrointestinal tumors by food antigens

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K15540
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 50010:Tumor biology-related
• Research Institution: Juntendo University
• Principal Investigator: Sasaki Takaharu 順天堂大学, 大学院医学研究科, 非常勤講師 (60779718)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 食物抗原 / 消化器腫瘍 / パイエル板 / M細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our previous data suggested that food antigens suppress tumors in the small intestine and colon. Initially, we examined the effects of food antigens on colon tumors because an increase in cancer stem cell markers was observed when mice, induced with colon tumors by DSS/AOM, were fed an antigen-free diet. However, due to the poor reproducibility of the increase in cancer stem cell markers caused by the antigen-free diet, we shifted our focus to analyzing the mechanisms by which food antigens suppress small intestinal tumors. Consequently, it was suggested that food antigens are taken up through M cells, which are epithelial cells present on the surface of Peyer's patches, and are transferred to dendritic cells. Furthermore, M cells were found to be involved in the induction of type 1 helper T cells in the small intestine, and suppress tumors.

Free Research Field

免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究結果は食物抗原がどのように免疫組織に取り込まれて腸管免疫系の誘導・活性化に働き生体の恒常性維持に働くかを初めて明らかにしたものであり、今後消化器腫瘍の予防対策を考える上での基盤となる可能性が考えられる。また、本研究を通じ、食物抗原による免疫系の活性化に着目した他の疾患予防研究を推進するきっかけになることが期待される。