Aiming at the development of new therapeutic agents for oral cancer via anti-apoptotic function by Keratin17

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H06947
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Surgical dentistry
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: MIKAMI YURIE 九州大学, 大学病院, 医員 (70801661)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-08-25 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: Keratin17

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we aimed to elucidate the molecular basis of the anti-apoptotic mechanism in oral squamous cell carcinoma that Keratin 17 plays. Having shown that Keratin 17 promotes tumor growth via anti-apoptosis, we used siRNA to elucidate the sequence of Keratin 17 related to anti-apoptosis and to identify proteins that bind to that region. However, since the sequence of Keratin 17 has a short UTR region and it has been difficult to produce an efficient siRNA, it has not been possible to determine the sequence.

Free Research Field

口腔外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

以前の研究にてKeratin17 が口腔癌標本において腫瘍部に特異的に発現し、抗アポトーシス作用を介して腫瘍増殖を促進することを示した。また、本研究においてKeratin17 の配列のどの領域が抗アポトーシス作用に重要か同定し、その領域に結合する既存のアポトーシス関連タンパク質（Caspase family 等）または未知のアポトーシス関連タンパク質同定を試みたが、現在同定に至っていない。しかし未知のアポトーシス関連タンパク質の同定は、新たな分子標的薬となる可能性が高い。