A conditioning machinery of dendritic cells by epithelial cells in the gut

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25460586
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Immunology
• Research Institution: Hoshi University (2015); Tokyo Medical and Dental University (2013-2014)
• Principal Investigator: TEZUKA HIROYUKI 星薬科大学, 先端生命科学研究センター, 特任准教授 (30375258)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 腸管上皮細胞 / 樹状細胞 / TGF-β / IgA / 免疫寛容

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Gut dendritic cells (DC) are distinct from peripheral lymph node DC in terms of their phenotypes and functions. We found that TGF-b, which is an abundant cytokine in the gut, is essential for the conditioning of DC in the gut. We generated conditional knockout mice with DC-specific deletion of type II TGF-b receptor (TbRII-DCKO), and found that TbRII-DCKO mice develop spontaneously autoimmune-like diseases, which are characterized by inflammatory cell migration into several organs and autoantibody production. Interestingly, in TbRII-DCKO mice that had developed the diseases, some commensal bacteria were detected in peripheral lymphoid organs, and the symptom and host survival were partly improved by treatment with antibiotics.

Free Research Field

免疫学