Role of tumor-associated macrophages in the acquisition of cancer cell stemness and its application for anti-tumor therapy

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K18435
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Tumor therapeutics
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Yoneda Akihiro 北海道大学, 産学・地域協働推進機構, 特任助教 (00451419)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 腫瘍マクロファージ / 癌幹細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Chemoresistance of cancer cells is a leading cause of chemotherapy and molecular target therapy against tumors. The purpose of the present study was to clarify the mechanism by which tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) induce the acquisition of cancer cell stemness and promote the tumorigenic potential of cancer cells. Here we showed that IL-6 and HB-EGF derived from TAMs induce acquisition of cancer cell stemness and enhance the tumorigenicity of cancer cells. The tumorigenicity of cancer cells in mice that have IL-6-depleted or HB-EGF-depleted macrophages was significantly lower than that in wild-type mice. These results indicated that both IL-6 and HB-EGF derived from TAMs play a crucial role in cancer cell stemness and augment of tumorigenic potential of cancer cells, and suggested that targeted depletion of both IL-6 and HB-EGF may become a therapeutic modality for tumors.

Free Research Field

腫瘍学