Identification of Smad cofactors involved in tumor progression

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16H05150
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Pathological medical chemistry
• Research Institution: University of Yamanashi
• Principal Investigator: MIYAZAWA KEIJI 山梨大学, 大学院総合研究部, 教授 (40209896)
• Research Collaborator: ITOH yuka ; MOTIZUKI mitsuyoshi ; MIYAKE kunio
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: シグナル伝達 / TGF-β / Smad / 転写活性化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the present study, we worked on Smad cofactors in cancer cells, which enable a wide variety of cell responses induced by TGF-β. We identified Olig1 as a Smad cofactor involved in anti-apoptotic function of TGF-β in murine breast cancer cells. We also developed a strategy to screen Smad cofactors that operate in cancer cells and identified two novel Smad cofactors. Furthermore, we found minimal requirements for transcription activation by cooperation of Smad and Smad cofactors.

Free Research Field

基礎医学、生化学、腫瘍生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

TGF-βの多様な作用の一部のみを選択的に抑制する次世代のTGF-β阻害薬開発のためには、個々の作用に密接に結びついたSmad cofactorを同定し、その機能の発現メカニズムを明らかにする必要がある。本研究では新規Smad cofactorの探索法を開発するとともに、Smad cofactorの作用を効率的にブロックする手法を開発するための基礎として、SmadとSmad cofactorによる協調的な転写活性化の必要条件を明らかにした。