Screening for genes involved in efficient reprogramming directly into mammary stem cells

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K15022
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General anatomy (including histology/embryology)
• Research Institution: Waseda University
• Principal Investigator: Semba Kentaro 早稲田大学, 理工学術院, 教授 (70206663)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞分化 / 組織形成 / 乳腺 / 幹細胞 / ダイレクトリプログラミング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We succeeded in immortalization of reporter mouse mammary epithelial cells (MECs), which allow us to screen genes involved in dedifferentiation, efficiently. 115 genes, which had been first under expectation as associated genes with dedifferentiation, unfortunately did not activate reporter cells. Thus, there was a need to evaluate larger gene sets. Then we developed a gene trap system for expression of genes covering more broad set including non-coding RNA using a transposon system. This is powerful technique one because there is no need to prepare cDNA libraries. Using this convenient and efficient system, we isolated 4 positive clones. Among them, we identified a candidate gene possibly involving regulation of stemness, and now are analyzing its function both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, by applying the technique of the trap method, various technologies for evaluating the function of genes regulating stemness were also developed.

Free Research Field

分子腫瘍学