Role of non-coding RNA in hepatocellular carcinoma

• Project/Area Number: 18K15799
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 53010:Gastroenterology-related
• Research Institution: Miyagi Prefectural Hospital Organization Miyagi Cancer Center
• Principal Investigator: Wakui Yuta 地方独立行政法人宮城県立病院機構宮城県立がんセンター(研究所), 発がん制御研究部, 特任研究員 (50756939)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2021)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000)
• Keywords: 肝細胞癌 / 肝臓癌 / ncRNA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

HOX transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR) belongs to non-coding RNA. It is reported that HOTAIR is involved in the malignancy of several types of cancer. However, little is known about how HOTAIR regulated tumor malignancy. In this study, we focused on tumor microenvironment. We elucidated that overexpression of HOTAIR cancer cells secrete CCL2, which induces tumor-associated macrophage and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. Additionally, we screened the molecules that increased the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) malignancy. We determined that there is positive correlation between the BEX2 expression and HCC malignancy.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では肝細胞癌の悪性度を規定する分子を同定した。新しい肝細胞癌治療開発における基礎データを得ることができた。