Elucidation of peritoneal dissemination mechanism by exosome from ovarian cancer and development of new treatment

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K15704
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Obstetrics and gynecology
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Kikkawa Fumitaka 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (40224985)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 梶山 広明 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科, 准教授 (00345886) ; 横井 暁 国立研究開発法人国立がん研究センター, 研究所, 研究員 (30737135) ; 柴田 清住 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科, 准教授 (90335026)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 卵巣癌 / 腹膜播種 / エクソソーム / MMP1

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We demonstrated that the exosome from ovarian cancer stimulated the peritoneal dissemination. By mouse model the exosome also prompted abdominal metastasis and causes morphological change in mesothelial cells. This phenomenon was caused by induction of apoptosis. We observed that the exosome increased MMP1 expression in mesothelial cells.
Using clinical data base, we observed that MMP1 is an important prognostic marker and there are ovarian cancer patients with ascites including MMP1 mRNA.
In conclusion, the exosome including MMP1 mRNA may be a prognostic biomarker and a treatment target for preventing abdominal metastasis.

Free Research Field

産婦人科