Verification of a new hypothesis that cancer stem cells induce immune cell senescence-related immunosuppression and exert tumorigenicity

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K18408
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Tumor biology
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: WADA HARUKA 北海道大学, 遺伝子病制御研究所, 講師 (70392181)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: がん幹細胞 / 細胞老化 / 免疫抑制

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we found that cancer stem cells itself produce inflammatory cytokines, TICIF-1. TICIF-1 induced cellular senescence-like phenotypes and immunosuppressive phenotype into the surrounding macrophages. Commonly, SASP is known as inflammatory phenomena, however, our results suggested that senescence-associated phenotypes are different depending on cell types.
TICIF-1 is known as one of the SASP factors and it is suggested the correlation with tumorigenesis. On this point, Our results suggested that TICIF-1 induce macrophages into immunosuppressive phenotype, eventually, it contributes to tumorigenesis in immunocompetent animals.

Free Research Field

腫瘍免疫学