The role of autophagy in perineural infiltration of pancreatic cancer

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K10597
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Digestive surgery
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: EGAMI Takuya 九州大学, 医学研究院, 共同研究員 (40507787)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 宮坂 義浩 九州大学, 大学病院, 助教 (40507795) ; 大内田 研宙 九州大学, 大学病院, 講師 (20452708)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 膵癌 / 神経浸潤 / オートファジー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Pancreatic cancer shows aggressive progression with a very poor prognosis. Perineural infiltration is one of the biggest reason contribute to its miserable outcome, so it is urgently needed to clarify the mechanism of pancreatic cancer invasion. In this study, we focused on the activity of autophagy in pancreatic cancer. We examined its activity and role, both of pancreatic cancer cells and pancreatic stellate cells. We showed that autophagy plays a protective role for pancreatic cancer cells, and also autophagy is involved in pancreatic stellate cell activation. These results play an important role for the elucidation of the process that pancreatic cancer infiltrate into nerves.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

膵癌の5年生存率はここ30年間でほとんど改善が無く、治療法の開発は社会的緊急性・重要度が高い。また、再発形式として神経浸潤を主体とした後腹膜再発が高率にみられることも膵癌の大きな特徴である。この原因のひとつである神経浸潤の制御の機序解明につながる膵癌間質制御のメカニズム解明は膵癌治療成績の向上の一翼を担うと考えられ、それによって得られる社会的意義は非常に高いと考えられる。