Early diagnosis and prevention of cancers using a molecular target

• Project/Area Number: 25430132
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Tumor biology
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: TAKAHASHI ATSUSHI 九州大学, 生体防御医学研究所, 准教授 (80303840)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): SUZUKI Akira 九州大学, 生体防御医学研究所, 教授 (10311565) ; TANI Kenzaburo 東京大学, 医科学研究所, 特任教授 (00183864)
• Research Collaborator: KOBAYASHI Kyosuke ; LI Yan ; Mona Marwa Mohammed Hassan ; SATOMI Chikako
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
• Budget Amount: ¥5,330,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,230,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥2,340,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥540,000)
• Keywords: 癌予防 / 癌早期発見 / 癌遺伝子 / がん早期発見 / がん予防 / がん遺伝子 / がん免疫療法 / 分子標的治療

Outline of Final Research Achievements

FEAT is an intracellular protein that potently drives tumorigenesis in vivo. FEAT is only weakly expressed in normal human tissues including the testis, whereas it is aberrantly upregulated in most human cancers. The present study investigated whether FEAT is applicable to early detection and prevention of cancers. 1) The plasma FEAT concentrations of 134 cancer patients and 8 normal volunteers were measured by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Plasma FEAT levels were significantly higher in the presence of cancers. 2) Analyses of mouse embryonic stem cells deficient in Mettl13 gene encoding FEAT suggest that FEAT is required for neuronal differentiation. 3) Immune responses against FEAT can be induced without deleterious side effects on mice. 4) We identified proteins that interact with FEAT to develop an assay for enzymatic activity of FEAT and screen for inhibitors. The findings suggest that FEAT is a candidate for applications in early diagnosis and prevention of cancers.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Characterization of common marmoset dysgerminoma like tumor induced by the lentiviral expression of reprogramming factors. (2014)
  • Author(s): Yamaguchi S, Marumoto T, Nii T, Kawano H, Liao J, Nagai Y, Okada M, Takahashi A, Inoue H, Sasaki E, Fujii H, Okano S, Ebise H, Sato T, Suyama M, Okano H, Miura Y, Tani K
  • Journal Title: Cancer Sci. Volume: 105 Issue: 4 Pages: 402-408
  • DOI: 10.1111/cas.12367
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] TLR7 Ligand Augments GM-CSF-Initiated Antitumor Immunity through Activation of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells (2014)
  • Author(s): Narusawa M, Inoue H,Matsumura Y,Takahashi A, Inoue T, Watnabe A, Miyamoto S,Miura Y, Hijikata Y, Tanaka Y, Inoue M, Takayama K, Okazaki T, Hasegawa M, Nakanishi Y, Tani K
  • Journal Title: Cancer Immunol Res Volume: 2(6) Issue: 6 Pages: 1-13
  • DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-13-0143
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] Regulation of human FEAT gene promoter (2015)
  • Author(s): C. Satomi, M.M. Mona, K. Kobayashi, Y. Li, K. Tani, A. Takahashi
  • Organizer: 第74回日本癌学会学術総会
  • Place of Presentation: 名古屋国際会議場
  • Year and Date: 2015-10-10
• [Presentation] Biochemical and intracellular function of FEAT protein (2015)
  • Author(s): Y. Li, K. Kobayashi, C. Satomi, K. Tani, A. Takahashi
  • Organizer: 第74回日本癌学会学術総会
  • Place of Presentation: 名古屋国際会議場
  • Year and Date: 2015-10-08
• [Presentation] Biochemical and intracellular functions of antiapoptotic FEAT protein. (2014)
  • Author(s): Y. Li, K. Kobayashi, M.M. Mona, C. Satomi, K. Tani, A. Takahashi
  • Organizer: Cell Symposia: Hallmarks of Cancer: Asia
  • Place of Presentation: Beijing, China
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-09 – 2014-11-11
• [Presentation] FEAT inhibits cell death by modifying intracellular localization of apoptotic signaling factors. (2014)
  • Author(s): Y. Li, K. Kobayashi, M. M. Mona, C. Satomi, K. Tani, A. Takahashi
  • Organizer: Gordon Research Conference on Cell Death
  • Place of Presentation: West Dover, VT, USA
  • Year and Date: 2014-06-08 – 2014-06-13
• [Presentation] Functions of FEAT tumor promoter in ES cells. (2013)
  • Author(s): K. Kobayashi, K. Kawahara, A. Suzuki, K. Tani, A. Takahashi
  • Organizer: 第72回日本癌学会学術総会,
  • Place of Presentation: 横浜
• [Presentation] Identification of proteins that interact with FEAT tumor promoter (2013)
  • Author(s): Y. Li, K. Kobayashi, M.M. Mona, K. Tani, A. Takahashi
  • Organizer: 第72回日本癌学会学術総会,
  • Place of Presentation: 横浜
• [Book] 臍帯血移植の基礎と臨床 （pp.243-260「再生医療」を分担） (2014)
  • Author(s): 高橋淳、谷憲三朗
  • Total Pages: 273
  • Publisher: 医学書院
• [Remarks] 悪性腫瘍に対する新規免疫・遺伝子治療薬開発研究部門
  • URL: http://www.bioreg.kyushu-u.ac.jp/labo/mcg/section.html
• [Remarks] 九州大学-研究者情報
  • URL: http://hyoka.ofc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/search/details/K003373/research.html
• [Remarks] 悪性腫瘍に対する新規免疫・遺伝子治療薬開発研究部門
  • URL: http://www.bioreg.kyushu-u.ac.jp/labo/mcg/section.html
• [Remarks] 九州大学-研究者情報
  • URL: http://hyoka.ofc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/search/details/K003373/research.html