Analyses and application of molecular mechanisms of "countenances of cancer"

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K14614
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Tumor biology
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: Tani Tokio 熊本大学, 大学院先端科学研究部(理), 教授 (80197516)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: がんの顔つき / 分葉核 / 核異型 / がん / YB-1 / プロテインキナーゼ / ケミカルバイオロジー / 成人T細胞白血病

Outline of Final Research Achievements

“Countenances of cancer” is a word that describes degrees of cancer malignancy, especially in breast cancers. Although grades of malignancy in “countenances of cancer” are generally rated based on, partly, the percentage of nuclei with aberrant morphology, little is known about the mechanisms involved in exhibiting aberrant nuclear morphology in cancer cells. In this study, we analyzed the action mechanisms of the natural compound 2057 that induced aberrant nuclear morphology, such as nuclear lobulation. As a result, we revealed that protein kinase C, RNA binding protein YB-1 and tubulin play essential roles in nuclear lobulation induced by 2057. In addition, as a first step toward developing novel anti-cancer drugs, we isolated compounds that inhibit 2057-induced nuclear lobulation, restoring the nuclear morphology to the normal oval-like form.

Free Research Field

分子生物学