Comprehensive influence on tumor immune system by interaction between pancreatic cancer and molecules of tumor microenvironment.

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K10190
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Digestive surgery
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: NAGAI Kazuhiro 長崎大学, 病院(医学系), 講師 (30304942)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 岡本 正人 北里大学, 薬学部, 特任教授 (10243718) ; 下平 滋隆 信州大学, 医学部附属病院, 特任教授 (80345751) ; 黒木 保 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(医学系), 客員研究員 (90404219)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 腫瘍免疫 / 膵臓癌 / 腫瘍微小環境 / バイオマーカー / 樹状細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To elucidate the comprehensive influence on pancreatic cancer tissue and various type of immune cells infiltrating tumor microenvironment to tumor-specific immune system, we analyzed the expression of various tumor immunity-related molecules in pancreatic cancer tissue and peripheral blood sample which were obtained from patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing clinical trials of dendritic cell-based immunotherapy.
As a result, it was revealed that there is a significantly high correlation between infiltration of CD163 positive M2 macrophages and CD66b positive granulocytes in cancer microenvironment with poor prognosis and CD20 positive B cell infiltration as good prognosis. Peripheral blood neutrophil / lymphocyte ratio and serum IL-6 level were also poor prognostic markers. The discovery of this prognosis-associated biomarker may lead to the development of a new composite cancer immunotherapy.

Free Research Field

腫瘍免疫学、血液学、腫瘍医学