Reversion of the exhausted immunity by metformin

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26290056
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Tumor therapeutics
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Udono Heiichiro 岡山大学, 医歯(薬)学総合研究科, 教授 (50260659)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 榮川 伸吾 岡山大学, 医歯(薬)学総合研究科, 助教 (40635265)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 免疫疲弊 / CD8 T細胞 / アポトーシス / メトホルミン / 解糖系 / 酸化的リン酸化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Long term uptake of anti-diabetes drug, metformin, has been shown to reduce cancer incidence and mortality. However, the underlying mechanism of this effect is not yet understood. Immune system against cancers, particularly, CD8T cells (killer cells) undergoes exhaustion in tumors, which allows for tumor growth. We found that metformin reactivates exhausted CD8T cells in tumors to fight against cancer cells through elevation of their glycolysis, leading to the retardation of tumor growth.

Free Research Field

免疫学、腫瘍免疫学