Division of Immunity and Allergy

Summary of the research
1. Research theme
We develop basic research using biotechnology aiming at the elucidation of the teleological meaning of innate immunity. Immunity dose not only play an important role in the maintenance of health but in deeply related to onset or aggravation of modern diseases such as cancer, life style related diseases and autoimmune diseases. In immunity, especially the innate immunity of which the center is macrophage plays the central role in maintaining whole system of immunity in order. Furthermore, it is a faculty not only inherent in humans but in all organism including plants, and therefore research into innate immunity means research into the way of maintenance of health in humans. We also try to apply the results obtained from the research to develop the method of prevention and clinical therapy against intractable diseases through modulation of the faculty of macrophages, aiming at new technology for maintaining healthy life in high quality for humans. Our main research topics are as follows :
(1) Elucidation of new molecular mechanisms for the recognition of foreign body in innate immunity.
(2) Elucidation and application of innate immune system in lower vertebrates and in invertebrates.
(3) Development of the method for prevention and treatment against intractable diseases targeting the modulation of tissue specific macrophage, as follows
Development of therapy against tuberculosis via lung alveolar macrophages infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Development of therapy against established lung cancer using augmentation of phagocytosis of alveolar macrophages.
(4) Elucidation of biological function and tissue specificity depending on various tissue specific macrophages.
(5) Application of lipopolyaccharide with low molecular weight to medicine, and/or cosmetics.
(6) Application of lipopolysaccharide with low molecular weight to functional foods and functional feed.
(7) Elucidation of pharmacodynamic mechanism of medicine by oral route against intestinal macrophages.

2. Survey of research accomplishments
We have been trying to elucidate the mechanism of plasticity, characteristic to individual and apply the results obtained from the research to establish a drastic new technology profiting the solution, that is to say prevention eradication, and treatment, of various issues which the modern society faces such as environmental problem, zoonosis, life style related diseases, intractable diseases such as cancer, and, immuno-allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis.
　Above result were not obtained by random ideas (aiming at treasure hunting). As mentioned in the section of research theme, the idea penetrating our research is that innate immunity itself regulates homeostasis. In other words, deductive development of this inductive principle resulted in the collaborative research with industries and further pursuit of this principle is basic research. At present, we think that an individual adapts itself to environment by the information sent newly by tissue specific macrophages, main bearer of innate immunity, on receiving environmental information.
In order to deepen the inductive principle mentioned above, we continue our research to elucidate molecular basis for this idea. As a concrete example, we analyze the function of alveolar and intestinal macrophages, residing in the boundaries of an organism and environment, lung and intestine. We think that the results obtained from this research with contribute greatly to the establishment of scientific technology promising health and longevity, one of the important items decided and requested to university researches in “Systematization of Objectives of the Science and Technology Policy” along with scientific tailor made elucidation of the tertiary function of food and a measure to prevent life style related diseases through food.

Selected Papers
1. Kadowaki T, Arikawa T, Shinonaga R, Oomizu S, Inagawa H, Soma G, Niki T, Hirashima M.
Galectin-9 signaling prolongs survival in murine lung-cancer by inducing macrophages to differentiate into plasmacytoid dendritic cell-like macrophages.
Clinical Immunology. 2012 Mar; 142(3): 296-307 (2012)

2. Maya Uenobe , Chie Kohchi, Noriko Yoshioka, Akihiko Yuasa, Hiroyuki Inagawa, Kayoko Morii, Takashi Nishizawa, Yukinori Takahashi and Gen-Ichiro Soma.
Cloning and characterization of a TNF-like protein of Plecoglossus altivelis (ayu fish).
Molecular Immunology 44 (6): 1115-1122 (2007)

3. Chie Kohchi, Hiroyuki Ingawa, Takashi Nishizawa, Takatoshi Yamaguchi, Shiro Nagai, and Gen-Ichiro Soma.
Applications of Lipopolysaccharide Derived from Pantoea agglomerans(IP-PA1)for Health Care Based on Macrophage Network Theory.
Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering102(6): 485‐496（2006）

4. Hiroki Nagoshi, Hiroyuki Inagawa, Kayoko Morii, Hideaki Harada, Chie Kohchi,, Takashi Nishizawa,Yoshie Taniguchi ,Maya Uenobe, Teruko Honda, Masakazu Kondoh, Yukinori Takahashi, Gen-Ichiro Soma.
Cloning and characterization of a LPS-regulatory gene having an LPS binding domain in kuruma prawn Marsupenaeus japonicas.
Molecular Immunology 43: 2061-2069 (2006)

5. Ohno Y, Ohno S, Suzuki N, Kamei T, Inagawa H, Soma G-I, Inoue M.
Role of Cyclooxygenase-2 in Immunomodulation and Prognosis of Endometrial Carcinoma.
Int. J. Cancer 114: 696-701(2005)