Immunogenicity of iPS-derived retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25293357
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Ophthalmology
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Sugita Sunao 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 多細胞システム形成研究センター, 副プロジェクトリーダー (10299456)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: iPS細胞 / 網膜色素上皮細胞 / MHC抗原 / 移植 / 拒絶反応

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We demonstrated experimentally that immune responses can be avoided when retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells generated from iPSCs derived from a MHC/HLA homozygous donor are matched with MHC/HLA of recipient. Our research team developed an in vivo experimental method in a primate model, in which they transplanted RPE cells derived from iPSCs from a MHC homozygote monkey into a different monkey (MHC-matched), and an in vitro experimental system using RPE cells derived from human iPSCs and co-cultured them with human immune cells. In vivo data, no signs of immune rejection were observed in recipients of MHC-matched grafts, and the sheet grafts survived for at least six months post-transplantation. Similarly, the matching of at least three HLA gene loci (HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DRBI) between iPSCs-derived RPE cells and the donor immune cells was sufficient for preventing the trigger of an immune response in vitro. Our study was published in two separate papers in Stem Cell Reports.

Free Research Field

眼免疫