Functional analysis of Merm1 promoting tumor metastasis

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K18419
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Tumor biology
• Research Institution: Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research
• Principal Investigator: TAKEMOTO Ai 公益財団法人がん研究会, がん化学療法センター 基礎研究部, 研究員 (20706494)
• Research Collaborator: TAKAMI Miho ; SATO Shigeo ; OH-HARA Tomoko ; MIYATA Kenichi ; SEKIGUCHI Takaya
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: がん転移 / リボソーム / 核小体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Merm1 is a tumor metastasis-promoting factor identified from in vivo screening. Merm1 has a role in ribosome biogenesis in a nucleolus. This research aims to clarify the relation between its functions in a nucleolus and in metastasis. We found Merm1-knockdown induced flowing out of nucleolar factors, changing nucleolar morphology, and pre-rRNA accumulation. We tried to express nucleolar-dominant or nuclear-exclusive Merm1 for analysis, however, we could not get the proper leveled expression of Merm1, possibly by the restricted regulation. To increase the knowledge about the Merm1 regulation, we searched and identified Merm1-interactants. Especially, a component of the stable Merm1-complex and ubiquitinylation enzymes were possible regulators of Merm1. Merm1 suppression exhibited the change in the sensitivity to rRNA transcription inhibitors, but not in that to anti-tumor drugs. Further analyses are required to suggest the nucleolar function of Merm1 as targets for tumor suppression.

Free Research Field

腫瘍生物学