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Department of Hematology
Research room themes
Our motto is “from bed to bench” and “from bench to bed”. We carefully examine patients and wish to find some clue for future medicine. We focus our intention to bone marrow failure syndrome and hematological malignancies.
1, Molecular mechanisms of bone marrow failure syndrome
Bone marrow failure syndrome includes aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobulinemia (PNH). We contributed to exploration of the molecular mechanisms of hemolytic attack of PNH patients, and proposed a novel hypothesis of clonal expansion of PNH cell. We have now identified NKG2D mediated immunity as a key pathway for pathogenesis of PNH. NKG2D mediated immunity is known to play important roles in pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, cancers, and graft versus host disease. We try to establish clinical application of NKG2D mediated immunity as a diagnosis tool or a therapeutic target.
2, Molecular mechanisms of hematological malignancies
Chromosome translocation is a pivotal genetic alteration in hematological malignancies. We found a chromosome translocation between immunoglobulin heavy chain gene and microRNA125b-1 in a patient with acute B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia. Subsequently, we showed that overexpression of microRNA125b can develop B-cell malignancies via inhibition of apoptosis in animal models. Survey of miR125b expression indicated that Ph-ALL and CML-BC cells highly expressed this microRNA. Modification of microRNA125b expression might be a therapeutic application for Ph-ALL and CML-BC.
EBV-infection causes not only benign but also malignant disorders. Clinically, EBV-associated malignant disorders could accompany with hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS). We analyze genetic background of EBV-associated malignant tumors as well as EBV genomes.