Functional analysis and clinical significance of EMU1 newly identified as a candidate of metastasis-promoting molecule

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K08727
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Experimental pathology
• Research Institution: Shizuoka Cancer Center Research Institute
• Principal Investigator: Sugino Takashi 静岡県立静岡がんセンター(研究所), その他部局等, 研究員 (90171165)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 癌転移 / 分子機能 / 細胞接着 / 細胞増殖 / 発現分布

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our previous analysis using mouse metastasis model identified EMU1 as a potential candidate of the metastasis-promoting genes. We sought to clarify the molecular function of EMU1 and the protein expression in the human tissues. Overexpression and knockdown studies demonstrated two novel molecular functions of EMU1; inhibition of cell-matrix adhesion and promotion of cell growth, whereas the high-expressor did not exhibited enhanced metastatic activity. Expression analysis revealed exclusive expression in the chief cells of the stomach and the beta-cells of the pancreatic islet in normal tissues. In cancers, EMU1 was expressed in breast and colon cancers with high incidence. Because of its limited expression in the normal tissues, cell-specific functions of this molecule are presumed. In addition, increased expression in human cancer cases implies that EMU1 may be a new molecular target in cancer therapy.

Free Research Field

実験病理

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

EMU1は2004年にクローニングされて以来論文がなく、分子機能や疾患との関わりは不明であった。本研究ではEMU1が多機能性分子であり、細胞外では細胞－基質間の接着を阻害し、細胞内では増殖を促進することが明らかとなった。また、EMU1が特定の細胞にのみ発現することから、何らかの生理機能に関わると考えられる。さらに、癌に発現頻度が高いことから、癌治療の分子標的になり得ることが期待される。