Roles of innate immune cells in opportunistic infections

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26430084
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Laboratory animal science
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Sugimoto Chie 北海道大学, 医学研究科, 助教 (60469955)
• Research Collaborator: KURODA Marcelo J. Tulane University, Professor
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: MAIT細胞 / 自然免疫型T細胞 / 動物モデル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

MAIT cells are a novel subset of innate like T cells which could be associated with susceptibility to opportunistic infections in immune compromised patients. Although MAIT cells are very abundant in humans, there is no suitable animal model for studying MAIT cells due to a very low frequency in laboratory mice. The aim of this study was to establish MAIT animal models. (1) Rhesus monkey model for AIDS-related opportunistic infections: We have detected MAIT cells in peripheral blood from healthy rhesus monkeys by using anti-human antibodies. That frequency was similar to humans. (2) Novel MAIT mouse model: We have established iPS cells derived from MAIT cells in C57BL/6 mice and observed that the iPS cells re-differenciated into MAIT cells using the OP9 feeder cell system. The mouse MAIT-iPS cells will be applied to construct novel mouse MAIT models for future studies.

Free Research Field

感染免疫学