Keio University Human Biology-Microbiome-Quantum Research Center (WPI-Bio2Q) held a seminar as follows.

17:00 -18:00, March 5, 2026

Ping-Chih Ho, PhD
Tumor immunology, Tumor microenvironment,
Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research
Switzerland

“Harnessing Kupffer cells for re-shaping T cell immunity against HCC”

Venue:
6F Meeting Room
Center for Integrated Medical Research
Shinanomachi Campus, Keio University

Kupffer cells (KCs) are liver-resident macrophages that maintain hepatic homeostasis, but their contribution in anti-tumor immunity against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. Here, we uncover that KCs are bona fide antigen-presenting cells (APCs) capable of acquiring tumor antigens and priming CD8 T cells. Compared with dendritic cells, KC-mediated priming drives a distinct trajectory coupling polyfunctional effector activity with memory-like features. Integrated single-cell transcriptomics and interactome analysis reveals a KC-specialized CD169-CD43 co-stimulatory axis that is necessary and sufficient for this program, which monocyte-derived KCs (MoKCs) progressively acquire. Depletion studies further demonstrate that combined loss of KCs and MoKCs diminishes tumor-reactive CD8 T cells, thereby accelerates HCC progression. In human HCC, co-expression of CD169 and CD43 correlates with a KC-primed CD8 T cell signature and associates with improved survival. These findings redefine intrahepatic priming and uncover the CD169-CD43 signaling as a potential target for therapeutic engineering of durable antitumor CD8 T cells.