Role of RANK expressed on FDCs in humoral immunity

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26860750
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Collagenous pathology/Allergology
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: TANAKA SHINYA 大阪大学, 免疫フロンティア研究センター, 特任助教 (80462703)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: FDC / RANK

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I examined roles of receptor activator of NF-kappa B (RANK) in humoral immune response in the research program. Our results suggest that the interaction between follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) and follicular helper T (Tfh) cells would promote T cell-dependent humoral immunity. In addition, I performed global gene expression analysis with stromal cell subsets using next generation sequencing. The assay provided unique gene expression patterns of each stromal cell subsets and revealed RANK receptor was highly expressed in stroma cells especially lymphatic endothelial cell (LEC) and/or LEC-like cells. The finding indicates that humoral immune response could be regulated by RANK expressed by these stromal cells. In addition, our gene expression data of stromal cells is useful information to understand role and function of stromal cells in host defense and immunopathological diseases.

Free Research Field

免疫学