Examination of the mechanisms by which SOX2 promotes cell proliferation in esophageal cancer

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K19040
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Human genetics
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University (2016-2017); Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine (2015)
• Principal Investigator: GEN Yasuyuki 東京医科歯科大学, 難治疾患研究所, 助教 (80596156)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: SOX2 / esophageal cancer / miRNA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our previous study revealed that the SOX2 gene is frequently amplified and overexpressed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and that SOX2 promotes ESCC cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo via upreguation of AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. In the present study, we showed that SOX2 increased the expression of miR-19a-3p indirectly. miR-19a-3p upregulated AKT signaling pathway by repressing PTEN, a negative regulator of AKT. Furthermore, we showed that AKT/mTOR dual inhibitor suppressed the proliferation of SOX2-amplifed ESCC cells.

Free Research Field

消化器内科学