Development of a novel treatment option targeting MELTF in gastric cancer

• Project/Area Number: 18K16278
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 55010:General surgery and pediatric surgery-related
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: SAWAKI Koichi 名古屋大学, 医学部附属病院, 医員 (60815033)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000)
• Keywords: 胃癌 / MELTF / 機能解析 / 血清診断

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To identify novel biomarkers that are vital for improving management of patients with gastric cancer (GC), the biological functions and expression of melanotransferrin (MELTF) were evaluated. Inhibition of MELTF expression suppressed the invasion ability of GC cells. Increased tissue MELTF mRNA expression was associated with shorter survival. Furthermore, staining intensity of tissue MELTF protein was linked to recurrence rates. Serum MELTF levels gradually were increased from healthy controls to advanced GC. Patients with high serum MELTF levels had poor prognosis. Both tissue and serum MELTF levels may serve as biomarkers of GC progression.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究によりこれまでに報告のないMELTFの胃癌における機能が明らかとなり、この成果は現在の医療で重視される個別化治療の手段としての新規分子標的薬の開発につながる。MELTFは、現在汎用されている腫瘍マーカーであるCAE、CA19-9の欠点を克服する鋭敏な胃癌血清腫瘍マーカーとなり得る。血清検体は簡便かつ非侵襲的に採取可能であり、胃癌初期診断、再発診断および治療効果判定のためのスクリーニング法の対象として理想的である。検体採取に特殊な手技を必要とせず、広く一般に普及しうる手法であるため社会への貢献度も大きい。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Level of Melanotransferrin in Tissue and Sera Serves as a Prognostic Marker of Gastric Cancer (2019)
  • Author(s): SAWAKI KOICHI、KANDA MITSURO、UMEDA SHINICHI、MIWA TAKASHI、TANAKA CHIE、KOBAYASHI DAISUKE、HAYASHI MASAMICHI、YAMADA SUGURU、NAKAYAMA GORO、OMAE KENJI、KOIKE MASAHIKO、KODERA YASUHIRO
  • Journal Title: Anticancer Research Volume: 39 Issue: 11 Pages: 6125-6133
  • DOI: 10.21873/anticanres.13820
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] MELTFの胃癌における役割についての検討 (2019)
  • Author(s): 澤木康一，神田光郎，田中千恵，小林大介，園原史訓，服部憲史，末永雅也，高見秀樹，林 真路，山田 豪，中山吾郎，小池聖彦，藤原道隆，小寺泰弘
  • Organizer: 第119回日本外科学会学術集会
• [Presentation] Melanotransferrin as a prognostic biomarker in gastric cancer (2019)
  • Author(s): Koichi Sawaki, Mitsuro Kanda, Shinichi Umeda, Takashi Miwa, Chie Tanaka, Daisuke Kobayashi, Masamichi Hayashi, Suguru Yamada, Goro Nakayama, Masahiko Koike, Michitaka Fujiwara, Yasuhiro Kodera
  • Organizer: 第78回日本癌学会学術総会