Analyses of glycan function characteristic for human B cells

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24590078
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biological pharmacy
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: TAKEMATSU Hiromu 京都大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (80324680)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 糖鎖抗原 / 免疫応答 / シグナル伝達経路 / 胚中心 / 抗体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Germinal center reaction is essential for acquired immunity. In germinal center, B cells undergo important immunoglobulin gene modification such as class switching and affinity maturation, which enable optimal immunity. Mouse has served as a nice model to study immunity. However, considerable difference was found between these two species. Cell surface glycans are one of those differences. Here we focused onto the glycans whose expression is regulated in germinal center B cells. We created model B cells with various change only on glycans. This set of cells are optimal for BCR signaling studied because germinal center B cells differ quite a lot from mature B cells, other than cell surface glycans. Thus comparison of normal mature B and germinal center B cells make it difficult to understand. We found that each marker glycans account for signaling events downstream BCR to achieve optimal B cell activation.

Free Research Field

糖鎖生物学