Functional analysis of the cancer development from fatty acid metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation of HCC based on NAFLD/NASH

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K19939
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Digestive surgery
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: NAKAGAWA Shigeki 熊本大学, 医学部附属病院, 寄附講座教員 (10594872)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 肝細胞癌 / 非アルコール性脂肪肝 / 遺伝子発現 / TM6SF2

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recently, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: NAFLD is increasing as a cause of hepatocellular carcinoma: HCC in Japan. We focused on the gene named TM6SF2, as an oncogene which is strongly associated with the development of HCC, and we analyzed the functional role of this gene in the process of cancer development. We used the exhaustive gene expression database and analyzed the association between TM6SF2 expression and molecular pathways, we revealed that the TM6SF2 expression is strongly associated with fatty acid metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, suggesting that the TM6SF2 regulate the fatty acid metabolism and associated with the development of HCC.

Free Research Field

肝胆膵領域における手術を中心とした集学的治療

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回の研究においてTM6SF2が非アルコール性脂肪肝炎を背景とした肝細胞癌の発癌に関わっている事が明らかとなった。これにより非アルコール性脂肪肝炎患者の中でも発癌リスクの高い群を同定する事が可能であり、更にはTM6SF2を標的とした発癌予防へと発展する事が期待される。