Functional Analysis of Newly Identified "Natural Helper"Cells

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22229004
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Immunology
• Research Institution: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (2012-2014); Keio University (2010-2011)
• Principal Investigator: KOYASU Shigeo 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 統合生命医科学研究センター, センター長 (90153684)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): MORO Kazuyo 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 統合生命医科学研究センター, 上級研究員 (90468489) ; FURUSAWA Jun-ichi 東京医科大学, 医学総合研究所 免疫制御研究部門, 博士研究員 (80570796)
• Project Period (FY): 2010-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 自然リンパ球 / IL-5 / IL-13 / 寄生虫 / アレルギー性炎症 / ステロイド抵抗性 / Notch / IL-7

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Natural helper (NH) cells newly discovered by the principal investigator produce large amounts of type 2 cytokines such as IL-5 and IL-13. NH cells play a pivotal role in the protection against helminth infection by IL-5-dependent eosinophilia and IL-13-dependent goblet cell hyperplasia. NH cells are also involved in the pathophysiology of allergic inflammation such as asthma. Epithelia-derived cytokine thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) induces steroid resistance in lung inflammation through activation of NH cells that become resistant to steroid treatment. We found that inhibition of Stat5 downstream of TSLP receptor was able to cancel steroid resistance. We also examined in this study the differentiation pathway of NH cells and showed that common lymphoid progenitor cells differentiated to NH cells by actions of IL-7 and Notch signals.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学