2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Identification of new therapeutic targets to sensitize chemoresistant tumor microenvironment to chemotherapy
| Project/Area Number |
15K18434
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Research Field |
Tumor therapeutics
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| Research Institution | Hokkaido University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
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| Keywords | Tumor microenvironment / Chemoresistance / Macrophages / Immunosuppression / Interleukin 34 |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
The ability of tumor cells to escape immune destruction and their acquired resistance to chemotherapy are major obstacles to effective cancer therapy. Although immune checkpoint therapies such as anti-PD-1 address these issues in part, clinical responses remain limited to a subpopulation of patients. In this report, we identified IL34 produced by cancer cells as a driver of chemoresistance. In particular, we found that IL34 modulated the functions of tumor-associated macrophages to enhance local immunosuppression and to promote the survival of chemoresistant cancer cells by activating AKT signaling. Targeting IL34 in chemoresistant tumors resulted in a remarkable inhibition of tumor growth when accompanied with chemotherapy. Our results define a pathogenic role for IL34 in mediating immunosuppression and chemoresistance and identify it as a tractable target for anticancer therapy.
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| Free Research Field |
腫瘍免疫学分野
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