Japan Society for the Promotion of Science:Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Date (from‐to) : 2012/04 -2015/03
Author : IWASAKI Tsuyoshi; SANO Hajime; SHIBASAKI Seiji; MATSUMOTO Kunio
We previously established hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene therapy to treat acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), preserve graft-versus-anti-leukemic (GVL) effect, and to recover T cell immunity. However, gene transfection and intravenous administration of HGF cannot supply sufficient amount of HGF to injured organs caused by GVHD. We tried to administer HGF displayed Yeast orally and to directly supply high concentration of HGF to injured intestine. Oral administration of yeast expressed HGFαand βchain into graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) model mice reduced clinical symptoms such as skin inflammation and prolonged their survival. Histopathological examination revealed that intestinal epithelial cell injuries were inhibited by this treatment. Inflammatory cytokine expressions in the liver, intestine, and spleen were reduced by this treatment. HGF-displayed yeast can therefore be potentially applied as a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of GVHD.