Establishment of rapid and simple test for detection of thyroid cancer

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K01824
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied health science
• Research Institution: Daito Bunka University
• Principal Investigator: Hino Rumi 大東文化大学, スポーツ健康科学部, 准教授 (60451770)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 大城 聰 大東文化大学, スポーツ健康科学部, 教授 (30160485)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 甲状腺癌 / 蛍光プローブ / イメージング / 甲状腺乳頭癌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Fluorescence imaging with γ-glutamyl hydroxymethyl rhodamine green (gGlu-HMRG) uses γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) is overexpressed in several cancers. This imaging method is rapid and useful for detecting cancers. In this study, we tried to develop a rapid fluorescence detection method for clinical samples of thyroid cancer, especially papillary carcinoma.
Fluorescence imaging with gGlu-HMRG was performed to detect PTC using surgically resected clinical samples. A portable imaging device conveniently captured images. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to evaluate cancer tissue, and immunohistochemical examination was used to detect GGT expression.
All 16 PTC samples exhibited fluorescence after topical application of gGlu-HMRG, whereas the normal sections of each sample showed no fluorescence. HE staining revealed that each fluorescent region corresponded to a region with carcinoma. The PTC samples also exhibited GGT expression, as confirmed by immunohistochemistry.

Free Research Field

病理(甲状腺）

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

東京大学生体情報学教室浦野教授が開発した蛍光プローブが癌特異的に光ることが報告され、申請者も共同研究で甲状腺癌特異的に光る蛍光プローブを見出し、倫理申請を経て、臨床的に研究を進めたた。その結果、甲状腺乳頭癌に特異的な蛍光プローブを見出し、臨床応用可能な事を証明し報告した。蛍光プローブ法は、試薬をかけるだけで、数分で癌細胞が光る簡便で画期的な方法であり、甲状腺癌早期発見、予防、あるいは福島原発事故後の甲状腺癌検査法への貢献という意味から、検査学的、医学的あるいは社会的貢献度は極めて高い。