inAnalyses of stem cells niche in ovine fetus liver for hematopoietic differntiation of human iPS cells in

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26501002
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Regenerative medicine
• Research Institution: Utsunomiya University
• Principal Investigator: NAGAO YOSHIKAZU 宇都宮大学, 農学部, 教授 (70291953)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): HANAZONO Yutaka 自治医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (70251246)
• Research Collaborator: ABE Tomoyuki 自治医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (20610364)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: iPS細胞 / 分化誘導 / 造血幹細胞 / ヒツジ胎子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Hematopoietic engraftment has been shown to observe when early differentiated monkey ES cells were transplanted into fetal liver. In this study, we examined optimal condition of ovine fetal liver for hematopoietic differentiation of the human iPS cells. We found that human hematopoietic chimera sheep can be efficiently generated when mesodermal early differentiated human iPS cells were injected into ovine fetal liver at 50-60 days of gestation. The human hematopoietic tissue was observed in ovine bone marrow for at least 4 years.

Free Research Field

幹細胞生物学、再生医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ESないしiPS細胞のin vitro分化誘導に関する研究が盛んに行われているが、造血幹細胞への分化誘導系はほとんど報告されていない。現在、薬剤で治療効果が少ない白血病に対しては、免疫が適合するドナーの骨髄中の造血幹細移植胞移植によって賄われており、本人のiPS細胞を活用した再生医療への期待が非常に高い。本研究は、患者本人のiPS細胞を、ヒツジ胎子肝内微小環境を用いて造血系へ分化誘導し、患者への移植に用いる白血病治療の可能性を明らかにした。また、ヒツジ胎子肝内の造血幹細胞誘導因子の解明が進めば、iPS細胞のin vitro造血系分化誘導への道も開けるだろう。