Molecular basis for the development of anti-tumor therapy by targeting HSF1.

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K06866
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Tumor therapeutics
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: Oda Tsukasa 群馬大学, 生体調節研究所, 助教 (10323643)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): YAMASHITA Takayuki 群馬大学, 生体調節研究所, 教授 (10166671)
• Research Collaborator: NAKAI Akira 山口大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授 ; FUJIMOTO Mitsuaki 山口大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 准教授
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞老化 / HSF1 / p53 / MDM2 / DHRS2

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) regulates the expression of a wide array of genes, control of the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) and cell growth. Although acute depletion of HSF1 induces cellular senescence, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we report that HSF1 depletion-induced senescence (HDIS) of human diploid fibroblasts (HDFs) was independent of HSP-mediated proteostasis but dependent on activation of the p53-p21 pathway, partly because of the increased expression of dehydrogenase/reductase 2 (DHRS2), a putative MDM2 inhibitor. We observed that HDIS occurred without decreased levels of major HSPs or increased proteotoxic stress in HDFs. Importantly, we found that activation of the p53-p21 pathway due to reduced MDM2-dependent p53 degradation was required for HDIS. Furthermore, we provide evidence that increased DHRS2 expression contributes to p53 stabilization and HDIS.

Free Research Field

腫瘍分子生物学