| Budget Amount *help |
¥4,030,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥930,000)
Fiscal Year 2015: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000)
Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Tumors are composed of heterogeneous cells arising from cancer stem cells (CSCs), and are maintained by the peri-tumoral stromal cells including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). We developed a novel photoimmunotherapy (PIT) utilizing a near infrared photosensitizer-avidin conjugate (AvIR) and biotinylated antibodies targeting the markers of CSCs and CAFs. Human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells contain a CD44 positive CSC population. CD44-targeted PIT remarkably reduced the ability of MCF-7 cells to form mammospheres, suggesting that CD44 targeting is sufficient to eradicate the CSCs. In modified soft agar assay, an increased number of MCF-7 colonies were obtained in the presence of primary breast CAFs. Enhancement of clonogenicity induced by CAFs, however, was abrogated by PIT with biotinylated anti-fibroblast activation protein. In conclusion, AvIR-mediated PIT may allow efficacious control of tumor and its microenvironment.
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