Mechanisms of carcinogenesis through deviation from normal development

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K15079
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Pathological medical chemistry
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Kadomatsu Kenji 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (80204519)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Kiyonari Shinichi 名古屋大学, 大学院医学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (70570836) ; Takeuchi Ichiro 名古屋工業大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (40335146) ; Takahashi Yoshiyuki 名古屋大学, 大学院医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (40432273)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 癌 / 発生 / 分化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Why does tumor develop without driver gene mutations in pediatric cancers? Its reason remains elusive although it is speculated that epigenetic regulations are involved. To address this question, we developed a new method, i.e., tumor sphere culture from very early stages of carcinogenesis. We found that cancer has developed as early as in mid-gestation period in the neuroblastoma model TH-MYCN mice. Furthermore, we found that epigenetic regulations are indeed critical for neuroblastoma development, and that EZH2 is a molecular target for its treatment.

Free Research Field

がん生物学