Enhancement of radiation therapy for cancer treatment by focusing on pattern recognition receptors

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25861053
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Radiation science
• Research Institution: Hirosaki University
• Principal Investigator: YOSHINO Hironori 弘前大学, 保健学研究科, 助教 (10583734)
• Research Collaborator: KASHIWAKURA Ikuo 弘前大学, 大学院保健学研究科, 教授 (00177370) ; MONZEN Satoru 弘前大学, 大学院保健学研究科, 助教 (20514136)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: パターン認識受容体 / Toll様受容体 / RIG-I様受容体 / 単球 / マクロファージ / poly(I:C) / 放射線 / 放射線治療

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The innate immune system recognizes pathogen-associated molecular patterns through pattern recognition receptors such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I)-like receptors (RLRs). In the present study, we investigated the effects of ionizing radiation (IR) on TLRs and RLRs in human monocytic cells. We demonstrated that IR affected TLRs depending on differentiation state of monocytic cells. On the other hand, IR hardly affected RLRs in human macrophages. These results led us to a possibility that RLRs agonist have potential to be an effective immunostimulant during radiation therapy. Therefore, we next investigated the anticancer effects of RLRs agonist and cotreatment with RLRs agonist and IR. We demonstrated the anticancer effects of RLRs agonists against human lung cancer cells. Furthermore, we found that IR synergistically acted with RLRs agonist in suppressing the growth of human lung cancer cells.

Free Research Field

放射線生物学