The role for cancer-associated fibroblasts in lymph node metastasis

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K20410
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Morphological basic dentistry
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: KAYAMORI Kou 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 助教 (10569841)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 癌微小環境 / 癌関連線維芽細胞 / リンパ節転移 / 腫瘍関連マクロファージ / 口腔扁平上皮癌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role for tumor microenvironment in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) progression. The following results were obtained in this research. (1) Immunohistochemical studies using OSCC samples revealed that the presence of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in OSCC were significantly correlated with tumor invasion depth and poor prognosis in patients with OSCC. But there was no correlation between CAFs and lymphatic vessel density, lymphatic vessel invasion or lymph node metastasis. (2) Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) produced by fibroblasts within tumor stroma in response to cancer cells promoted cancer cell invasion in OSCC. (3) CD163(+) tumor-associated macrophages promoted lymphangiogenesis through VEGF-C expression, which contributed to cervical lymph node metastasis in OSCC. These results indicate the importance of tumor microenvironment as a new therapeutic target in OSCC.

Free Research Field

口腔病理学