Mechanisms of aging in the tissue progenitor cells and tissue regeneration

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16KT0125
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 特設分野
• Research Field: Neo-Gerontology
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology
• Principal Investigator: Matsuda Yoko 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究員 (20363187)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 松下 晃 日本医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (70449263) ; 石渡 俊行 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究部長 (90203041)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-07-19 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 老化 / テロメア / 膵癌 / 組織前駆細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Telomeres are regions with tandem repeats of nucleotide sequences (TTAGGG) at each end of a chromatid in eukaryotes, and plays a key role in preventing chromosomal instability. In this study, we analyzed telomere length in exocrine cells of the human pancreas with and without cancer. The telomere length was the longest in ducts, followed by centroacinar cells, and acinar cells. Telomere length in duct, centroacinar and acinar cells decreased with age. The rate of decline in telomere length due to age was greater in duct cells, followed by centroacinar cells, and acinar cells. The length of telomeres in the duct and centroacinar cells of pancreatic cancer cases was shorter than that in the cells of the cases without cancers. In conclusion, critical telomere dysfunction in the centroacinar-acinar region is possibly due to high annual telomere attrition, which leads to chromosomal instability and carcinogenesis in the pancreas.

Free Research Field

腫瘍病理

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、組織前駆細胞と発がんとの関連が明らかとなった。これにより、がんの予防、診断、治療法開発につながる基礎的情報が入手できた。また、加齢による膵臓の変化が明らかになったことから、高齢者の発がんや膵臓の機能異常の機序の解明に繋がる可能性がある。膵臓だけでなく、他の臓器にも応用可能であり、その波及効果は広いと考える。