Elucidation of mechanisms involved in differentiation and functions of a novel subset of monocytes

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K19386
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 49:Pathology, infection/immunology, and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Science
• Principal Investigator: Hirai Hideyo 東京薬科大学, 生命科学部, 教授 (50315933)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 横田 明日美 東京薬科大学, 生命科学部, 助教 (00571556)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 単球 / 生体防御 / 分化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Monocytes play important roles not only in host defense, but also in pathogenesis of various kinds of diseases. In mice, Ly6C+ and Ly6C- monocytes have been identified as distinct monocyte subsets. Here, we discovered a monocyte subset which expresses CD135. CD135+ reveals intermediate features between conventional monocytes and dendritic cells in terms of gene expression and functions. Different from conventional monocytes, CD135+ monocytes derive not from common monocytes progenitors, but directly from macrophage-dendritic cell progenitors. In addition, CD135+ monocytes and conventional monocytes were not interchangeable in vivo at steady state conditions. These findings suggest that CD135+ monocyte is a distinct novel monocyte subpopulation.

Free Research Field

血液学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

単球は、生体防御においても、炎症やがんをはじめとした様々な病態形成においても重要な役割をしており、その機能の正確な理解は、疾患の病態解明や予防法・治療法の開発において必須の情報である。本研究で同定したCD135+単球は、従来型単球とかなり異なる機能を有しているにも関わらず、これまで同一細胞として取り扱われてきている。CD135+単球の同定によって、各単球亜集団の正確な機能分担についての理解が進むことが期待される。今後、CD135+単球の生理学的意義・ヒトでのカウンターパートの同定などが求められる。