The search for genes that essential for cancer cell survival.

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K14618
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Tumor biology
• Research Institution: Jikei University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: AOKI Katsuhiko 東京慈恵会医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (80328278)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: がん / ゲノム編集

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A new screening method was developed to search for genes that essential for the survival of cancer cells. First, a population in which cancer cells were subjected to comprehensive gene disruption was prepared, and the population was treated with an anticancer drug. At this time, cell death is induced in cancer cells in which a gene involved in anticancer drug resistance is destroyed. Next, dead cells were recovered, and their DNAs were analyzed to select candidate genes involved in resistance to anticancer drugs. When the expression of four selected genes was suppressed and the sensitivity to the anticancer drug was examined, three of them were vulnerable to the anticancer drug. From the above, the usefulness of the screening method established in this study was suggested.

Free Research Field

分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

がん細胞はその進展や治療の過程で環境に適応し、悪性度を高めることが知られている。本研究で確立したスクリーニング法は、抗がん剤耐性を獲得したがん細胞に対する新たな治療標的分子の探索に利用できるだけでなく、低酸素や低栄養などの特定の環境に適応したがん細胞に対しても利用が可能であると考えられる。本研究のスクリーニング法によって得られる情報は、その環境での生存に必須な遺伝子の同定につながり、そのような遺伝子の機能を理解することで、がん細胞の環境適応機構の解明や環境適応機構を逆手に取った治療標的分子の探索が可能になると考えられる。