Generation of a genetically engineered mouse model that reproducibly develops tumors in the large intestine

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14392
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Tumor biology
• Research Institution: Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute
• Principal Investigator: Kojima Yasushi 愛知県がんセンター(研究所), 分子病態学部, 主任研究員 (30464217)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 大腸がん

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) are widely used to elucidate colon cancer development. However, these murine models have a serious drawback: they develop tumors mainly in the small intestine, and the tumor incidence in the large intestine is very low and poorly reproducible. Here we tried to generate a new GEMM that develop tumors in the colon exclusively and reproducibly. Data analysis of DNA microarrays and real-time PCR suggest that Aqp4 is highly expressed in the colon stem cell compartment. We have started to create a transgenic mouse with tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase expression driven by the Aqp4 gene promoter activity.

Free Research Field

腫瘍生物学