Joji Fujisaki- Faculty Search Candidate
Title: Immune Privileged Stem Cells, Niche, and Tregs—Promising Therapeutic Targets for Transplantation, Tissue Injury, and Cancer
Abstract: Despite growing demand of tumor immunotherapy and stem cell transplantation, regulatory mechanisms of immune response against stem cells have remained largely unclear. My group has focused on testing whether the stem cell niche acts as an immunological sanctuary, termed an immune privileged site, that shields normal, malignant, and transplanted stem cells from immune attack or stress. Our group has recently established an unprecedented understanding that the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) niche within the bone marrow (BM) serves as an immune privileged site. Using the combination of transgenic mouse models, molecular sequencing, and in vivo two-photon/confocal microscopy, we have dissected immune privilege of HSCs by identifying (I) previously undescribed niche-residential stem cell-like regulatory T cells (Tregs), (II) niche Treg-derived extracellular adenosine, (III) the highly immune-privileged, most primitive HSC populations among others, and (IV) their protective vascular niche, as four key players of immune privilege, as well as promising therapeutic targets for BM transplantation, injury and malignancies. Our work further highlights therapeutic utility of niche Treg transfer for BM transplantation and injury.
 
Please note that this event will take place on September 18th from 1:00-2:00 (Talk) and 2:00-2:30 (Chalk Talk)