Dysfunction of planar cell polarity signaling and its relationship with ciliopathies and cancer invasion and metastasis

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Regulation of polarity signaling during morphogenesis, remodeling, and breakdown of epithelial tubular structure
• Project/Area Number: 23112007
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Review Section: Biological Sciences
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: MINAMI YASUHIRO 神戸大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (70229772)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MASHIMA Ryuichi 東京大学, 医科学研究所, 助教 (00401365) ; TEZUKA Toru 東京大学, 医科学研究所, 助教 (50312319)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 上皮管腔組織破綻 / 平面細胞極性シグナル / 繊毛シグナル / 非古典的Wntシグナル / アダプター分子 / 癌の浸潤・進展 / 上皮管腔組織形成 / 組織炎症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The epithelial tubular tissues are fundamental and functionally important structures in multicellular organisms, and it is one of the most important issues to clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation and disruption of these epithelial tubular structures. In this research project, we have focused on the planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling, and have tried to elucidate possible relationships between abnormalities of this signaling and anomalies of epithelial tubular tissues (including the kidney), ciliopathies, and cancer progression. As a result, we have shown that dysfunction of PCP signaling results in various anomalies, including congenital anomalies of kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT), and that aberrant activation of this signaling in various types of cancer cells contributes to their progression through expression of proteins, required for the formation of the primary cilia.

Free Research Field

分子細胞生物学・腫瘍生物学