Role of NF-kB-inducing kinase (NIK) in the differentiation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26430120
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Tumor biology
• Research Institution: Kitasato University
• Principal Investigator: Eshima Koji 北里大学, 医学部, 准教授 (30327324)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 骨髄由来抑制性細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are known to inhibit immune responses against tumors or in chronic infections, although their developmental mechanisms have remained unclear. In this study, we noticed that MDSC-like cells are spontaneously accumulated in alymphoplasia, the mice bearing a mutation in NF-kB-inducing kinase. We analyzed the phenotypes and function of these cells comparing them with those of tumor-induced MDSCs, and following results were obtained. (1) MDSC-like cells in aly mice were divided into three populations in terms of their expression of Ly6C and Ly6G. (2) All of these three population exhibited the ability to suppress T cell proliferation at similar level as tumor-induced MDSCs. (3) These populations were not observed in aly mice lacking mature lymphocytes. These results collectively indicated that lack of functional NIK may lead to the development of MDSC, and that the development of (subsets of) MDSC may be dependent on the function of lymphocytes.

Free Research Field

免疫学