Effect of bile acid with elevated levels in human serum on cancer cell proliferation and sensitivity to anticancer drugs.

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K08424
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Medical pharmacy
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: SUZUKI Sayo 慶應義塾大学, 薬学部(芝共立), 教授 (90424134)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 中村 智徳 慶應義塾大学, 薬学部(芝共立), 教授 (30251151)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: がん / 胆汁酸 / 抗がん剤感受性 / 細胞増殖

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recently, many standard-of-care chemotherapy regimens have been established and new approaches to improve the prevention and early detection of cancer have also been developed. However, unfortunately, they leave much to be desired.
In this study, we focused on the cancer treatments of patients with conditions like cholestasis. As a first step of this study, we mainly used several human cancer cells and deoxycholate (DCA) or chenodeoxycholate (CDCA) which are components in bile acids. We showed that DCA and / or CDCA with concentrations corresponding to elevated serum levels in such as cholestasis or biliary obstruction by tumors enhanced cell proliferation and / or decreased sensitivity to anticancer drugs depending on the kinds of cancer cells and conditions of bile acids exposure.

Free Research Field

医療薬学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、臨床で生じ得る血中胆汁酸濃度の上昇・変動ががん細胞の増殖や抗がん剤の抗腫瘍効果に及ぼす影響やそのメカニズムを明らかにすることができれば、例えば肝障害があり血液中に胆汁酸が滞っている胆汁うっ滞などが生じている場合等で抗がん剤治療を行う必要がある場合に、あらかじめ手術で摘出した腫瘍組織中の関連タンパク質や関連遺伝子を分析することにより個々の患者に合わせた適切な薬物治療の選択が可能となる（治療の個別化）。さらにそれが可能となれば、治療開始段階から効果の期待できる抗がん剤を選択できるため医療経済の観点からも有意義であり、社会的貢献も大きいと考える。