Development of a Novel Method for Inducing Operational Tolerance in Organ Transplantation

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K16443
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 55010:General surgery and pediatric surgery-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Kazuki Sasaki 大阪大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 助教 (20745442)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 肝移植 / 間葉系幹細胞 / 制御性T細胞 / 免疫寛容 / HMGB1ペプチド

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this research project was to investigate the therapeutic effects of HMGB1 peptide, which has proven efficacy in immunomodulation and tissue repair in inflammatory disease and cirrhosis models, in a model of acute rejection after liver transplantation. Within the study period, a rat liver transplantation model was established. Using this established rat liver transplant acute cellular rejection model, the usefulness of HMGB1 peptide was examined in terms of overall survival, biochemical data, and histology in comparison with the saline group, but no obvious anti-inflammatory or immunomodulating effects were observed in the HMGB1 peptide administration methods examined.

Free Research Field

移植免疫

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

当初、移植医療において問題となっている免疫抑制剤長期内服の有害事象を避けるべく、新規治療法開発を目標として研究に取り組んだ。骨髄中より間葉系幹細胞を炎症部位に遊走させ抗炎症作用や免疫調整能を発揮するというこのユニークなHMBG1ペプチドは本研究で検討したラット肝移植急性細胞性拒絶モデルにおいては明らかではなかったが、様々な疾患モデルでその有用性が示されており、今後の臨床現場での応用が期待される。