Induction of resident memory T cells in tumors and antitumor effects by NKT cell-activated vaccines

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K20823
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0901:Oncology and related fields
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Abe Tomoki 神戸大学, 医学部附属病院, 医員 (90964081)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: がんワクチン / レジデントメモリー / 腫瘍微小環境 / NKT細胞 / 人工知能 / イメージサイトメトリー / NKT細胞活性化ワクチン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this project was to develop a vaccine to activate NKT cells by introducing tumor antigen information. Vaccines incorporating tumor lysate obtained directly from tumor cells as antigen information are currently being prepared. We are also establishing a new method for efficient introduction of tumor antigen using cell membrane transporting peptides. At the same time, we developed image cytometry to analyze pathological specimens using AI. We analyzed pathological slides of human rectal cancer, identified tumor cells, stromal cells, and various immune cells, evaluated the relationship between indices derived from spatial information and prognosis, and found that these indices are effective as biomarkers. In the future, we plan to use this AI to evaluate the tumor microenvironment of vaccine-treated specimens.

Free Research Field

消化器癌の腫瘍微小環境

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

われわれの新しいワクチンは、NKT細胞の活性化を介したCD8+/ CD4+ T細胞の双方の免疫応答、腫瘍から直接取得した多数の腫瘍特異抗原を標的とする抗腫瘍効果の期待、ネオアンチゲン同定の時間・コストの削減、そして樹状細胞への効率的な抗原導入、といった面で非常に有望であり、今後の製品化・臨床応用も強く期待できる。さらに将来の癌治療において、患者ごとに個別化されたアプローチの可能性が示唆され、その独自性と創造性は高い。