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Deciphering the dynamic immune microenvironment in gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis to identify novel Immunotherapeutic targets and biomarkers

Research Project

Project/Area Number 22K15586
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Review Section Basic Section 50020:Tumor diagnostics and therapeutics-related
Research InstitutionKumamoto University

Principal Investigator

Yamashita Kohei  熊本大学, 大学院生命科学研究部(医), 特定研究員 (00867202)

Project Period (FY) 2022-04-01 – 2024-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2023)
Budget Amount *help
¥4,680,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,080,000)
Fiscal Year 2023: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000)
Fiscal Year 2022: ¥2,470,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥570,000)
Keywords胃癌 / 腹膜播種 / 腫瘍免疫微小環境 / サブクローン / 免疫微小環境 / 腹水 / 癌性腹水 / 腫瘍免疫
Outline of Research at the Start

胃癌の予後向上のために胃癌腹膜播種の克服は喫緊の課題である。がん免疫療法は、新規治療として期待されており、胃癌腹膜播種特有の腫瘍免疫微小環境の解明が望まれる。本研究は、胃癌腹膜播種患者の癌性腹水を用い、治療誘導性の免疫関連因子の動態変化について網羅的解析を行い、機能解析や臨床検体で検証を行うことで治療誘導性免疫抑制因子を明らかにする。癌性腹水をLiquid biopsyとして用い、治療段階や病勢に応じた免疫治療バイオマーカーの同定や既存の治療薬と免疫療法の併用を含む戦略的免疫治療の確立を目指す。

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors have been clinically applied based on effective results in clinical trials for gastric cancer. However, their efficacy against gastric cancer peritoneal metastasis, the most common form of metastasis in gastric cancer, remains limited. There is a pressing need to elucidate the tumor immune microenvironment specific to gastric cancer peritoneal metastasis.
This study analyzed gastric cancer ascites cells and identified a subpopulation of cells in the ascitic fluid that exhibit characteristics of both gastric cancer cells and myeloid cells. Using biostatistical methods, a phylogenetic analysis of cells in the ascitic fluid was conducted. The analysis suggested a linear evolutionary lineage rather than a branching one, and a group of genes potentially involved in this lineage was identified. Future work will involve detailed functional analysis of the identified cell subpopulations and gene groups.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

進行胃がんのうち、腹膜播種は治療抵抗性であり予後不良である。近年のがん免疫治療の進歩は胃がんの予後向上に資する可能性があり、腹膜播種の腫瘍免疫微小環境の解明は、新規治療標的や治療効果予測のバイオマーカー創出につながる。本研究により、胃がん腹膜播種における進化系統やそれに関与する遺伝子変異群が推定された。今後、胃がん腹膜播種の進行を食い止めるための免疫治療の役割がクローズアップされることが期待される。

Report

(3 results)
  • 2023 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2022 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (1 results)

All Other

All Int'l Joint Research (1 results)

  • [Int'l Joint Research] MD Anderson Cancer Center(米国)

    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report

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Published: 2022-04-19   Modified: 2025-01-30  

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