TOKAI UNIVERSITY Researchers Guide 2020

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The liver is the largest organ in the body, and has high regenerative ability. When the liver is chronically damaged by excessive alcohol intake or hepatitis virus infection, serious symptoms such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer are caused. In recent years, hepatitis and liver cancer due to fatty liver progression are increasing as a metabolic syndrome caused by obesity and lack of exercise. We are developing a novel therapeutic method for intractable liver diseases through analysis of the mechanism that regulates fat accumulation in the liver and stem cells.ResearchAreasMedicine, dentistry, and pharmacyKeyword■Hepatology■Stem cell■MetabolismRelatedresearchSDGEstablishment of new therapies for serious liver diseases using stem cell biologyAssociate ProfessorAkihide KamiyaUndergraduate School of MedicineFaculty of Medicine Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine CourseThe immune condition of cancer patients shares the characteristics with pregnant women, represented by the tolerance for non-self tissues. We established an immune-humanized mouse system based on severely immunodeficient NOG mice expressing human IL-4 systemically. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells are transplanted into the mice. The system enabled the comparison of the human pregnant and cancer immune environments by transplanting blood cells of pregnant women or cancer patients. We also administer anti-cancer drugs together with blood cells. Our aim is to develop anti-cancer drugs such as vaccines based on pregnant immune system.ResearchAreasMedicine, dentistry, and pharmacyKeyword■Pregnant immunity■Cancer immunity■Vaccine■Humanized mouseRelatedresearchSDGDevelopment of anti-cancer drugs based on pregnant immunityAssociate ProfessorYoshie KametaniUndergraduate School of MedicineFaculty of Medicine Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine CourseWe identified the new small-molecule IL-17A inhibitor which could be useful for pharmacotherapy of intervertebral disc disease using in silico analysis. We are currently working to optimize the structure of these compounds, evaluate their eects on cells and disease models, and develop novel agents for clinical application. We are also investigating the changes in intracellular signal kinetics and cellular activity in response to various external stresses, mainly in cells of the musculoskeletal system, which will serve as the basis for regenerative medicine, including cell transplantation.ResearchAreasMedicine, dentistry, and pharmacyKeyword■Cell biology■Regenerative medicineRelatedresearchSDGEvaluation of biological responses to pharmaceutical molecules and extracellular stressAssociate ProfessorKaori SuyamaUndergraduate School of MedicineFaculty of Medicine Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine Course108