Cutting edge Seminar

 

Speaker: Naganari Ohkura  (Professor, Experimental Immunology, IFReC, Osaka University)

Title:  Elimination of tumor-infiltrating regulatory T cells for enhancing anti-tumor immunity

 

 

Date&Time:  2 Jun.  (Wed.) 2021, 12:00- 13:00

※This seminar can also be attended through ZOOM. Please check the URL on “HIGO Cutting-Edge Seminar” at Moodle.

https://md.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/course/view.php?id=90416

 

Abstract:

Regulatory T (Treg) cells are a subgroup of CD4+ T cells essential for maintaining immune homeostasis, and repress aberrant and excessive immune responses. Based on these characteristics, Treg-control is considered to be effective in suppressing autoimmune diseases, and conversely, enhancing cancer immunity. Previous studies have shown that anti-tumor immune activity can be enhanced by removing Treg cells; however, systemic Treg elimination causes serious autoimmune diseases. We therefore analyzed the diversity of Treg cells using single-cell analysis platforms, and tried to identify a specific molecule of tumor-infiltrating Treg cells for enhancing anti-tumor immunity. By screening the molecule from tumors, we found that CCR8 was highly expressed in tumor-infiltrating Treg cells, but not in normal Treg and conventional T cells. As expected, anti-CCR8 antibody enhanced anti-tumor activity without any symptoms of autoimmune diseases in tumor-bearing mouse models. We hope that this molecule will become a promising target for cancer immunotherapy.

 

References:

1) Immunity. 2020 Jun 16;52(6):1119-1132.e4.

2) Immunity. 2013 Mar 21;38(3):414-23.