Regulation of transforming growth factor is involved in the efficacy of combined 5-fluorouracil and interferon alpha-2b therapy of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K09020
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Gastroenterology
• Research Institution: Iwate Medical University
• Principal Investigator: WANG TING 岩手医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (70416171)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Takikawa Yasuhiro 岩手医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (50254751) ; Miyasaka Akio 岩手医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (80382597)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: TGF-β / IFN/5-FU 併用療法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Experimental Study:　5-FU increased both the expression and secretion levels of TGF-β1 in hepatoma cells, but not in normal hepatocytes. 5-FU inhibited TGF-β-mediated apoptosis signaling but stimulated TGF-β-mediated EMT signaling via ERK1/2. On the other hand, IFNα-2b can antagonize the effects of 5-FU on TGF-β expression and TGF-β-mediated signaling.
Clinical study:　The serum levels of TGF-β1 prior to the therapy were significantly decreased after the combination therapy. However, in cases with a HCV background, although the serum levels of TGF-β decreased after the combination therapy in all the patients, 41.2% of the cases responded poorly to the therapy with a continued worsening of their condition, and there were no significant differences in TGF-β levels between patients who worsened and improved.

Free Research Field

肝臓学、細胞生物学