Reset of the epigenetic abnormality by dietary factors for cancer prevention

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K15235
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Hygiene and public health
• Research Institution: Mie University
• Principal Investigator: Murata Mariko 三重大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (10171141)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 癌 / 食餌性因子 / DNA損傷 / エピゲノム異常 / DNAメチル化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Environmental factors including infection and inflammation induce the alteration of genome and epigenome, which may lead to carcinogenesis. Several reports suggest that dietary factors may change the status. First, we examined methods for quantification of DNA methylation, and we could get DNA methylation rates of candidate genes by Bisulfite Amplicon Sequencing (BAS) with high accuracy. In the endemic area of Epstein-Barr virus-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma, there is an area having low incidence, and their custom of drinking tea attract attention. So, we are checking the effects of tea polyphenol, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on DNA methylation rates and gene expression levels in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines.

Free Research Field

環境分子医学