And start moving towards a therapeutic agent development by antibodies.

For domestic infected person is about 1.1 million people and estimated to be virus HTLV-1 cause of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), a group of Morishita professor of Miyazakidai School of Medicine (tumor biochemistry) is, cancer using the antibody it has been discovered that it is possible to kill cells.
With the aim of developing therapeutic agents by this antibody, and plans to begin clinical trials from 2017 fiscal year.
Morishita Prof. et al., Found that serve to capture the iron in the blood into the cells "transferrin receptor" is larger on the cell membrane surface of ATL cells. The receptor to inhibit iron uptake by coupling the antibody to kill cells.
In animal experiments, I was sure that there is no effect and severe side effects that reduce the cancer. Up to five years from the independent administrative agency, Japan Science and Technology Agency, to promote the development with venture companies with the support of about one billion yen.
ATL has died more than 1000 people every year, and many in Kyushu-Okinawa. Although therapeutic agent was released in '12, patients effect is observed that about 50%.
Japan HTLV-1 Society president Watanabe, Tokyo University Professor (blood oncology) is set to "This antibody therapy's meaningful in the sense of increasing the treatment of choice. There possibilities that can be adapted to other cancers." And I want you to lead to development of a therapeutic early in side effects such as put into consideration.




国内の感染者が約１１０万人と推計されるウイルスＨＴＬＶ―１が原因の成人Ｔ細胞白血病（ＡＴＬ）について、宮崎大医学部の森下教授（腫瘍生化学）のグループが、抗体を用いてがん細胞を死滅させることができることを発見した。
　この抗体による治療薬開発を目指し、２０１７年度から臨床試験を始める計画だ。
　森下教授らは、血液中の鉄分を細胞内に取り込む役割を果たす「トランスフェリン受容体」が、ＡＴＬの細胞の細胞膜表面に多いことを発見。この受容体に抗体を結合させることで鉄分の取り込みを阻害し、細胞を死滅させる。
　動物実験で、がんを縮小させる効果や重い副作用がないことを確認した。独立行政法人・科学技術振興機構から最長５年間、約１０億円の支援を受けてベンチャー企業とともに開発を進める。
　ＡＴＬは毎年１０００人以上が亡くなっており、九州・沖縄に多い。１２年に治療薬が発売されたが、効果がみられる患者は約５０％という。
　日本ＨＴＬＶ―１学会理事長の渡辺・東大教授（血液腫瘍学）は「今回の抗体療法は治療の選択肢を増やす意味で有意義だ。他のがんに適応できる可能性もある」としている。副作用等も検討の中に入れて早期の治療薬開発につなげて欲しいですね。