Elucidating the mechanisms of pre-metastatic niche formation by pancreatic cancer exosomes

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K10702
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Digestive surgery
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: MIYOSHI Kei 九州大学, 大学病院, 助教 (70755272)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 江上 拓哉 九州大学, 医学研究院, 共同研究員 (40507787) ; 宮坂 義浩 九州大学, 医学研究院, 共同研究員 (40507795) ; 大内田 研宙 九州大学, 大学病院, 講師 (20452708)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 膵癌 / エクソソーム / 肝転移 / 微小環境

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to identify the exosomes that induce liver metastasis of pancreatic cancer, and to clarify the factors involved in liver metastasis of pancreatic cancer and the mechanism of microenvironment modification of the metastasis destination. Exosomes were extracted from pancreatic juice collected from pancreatic cancer patients, and candidates for miRNA specific to pancreatic cancer-derived exosomes were identified. In addition, we constructed a mouse model with liver metastasis and clarified that high CD110 expression in pancreatic cancer cells is associated with liver metastasis and poor prognosis. These data support that reprogramming the microenvironment in primary and metastatic niche might be a promising approach for new therapy of pancreatic cancer.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

膵癌は早期に転移を形成することで知られ、転移のメカニズム解明は治療法の確立にも必須である。本研究では膵癌由来エクソソームの同定、また肝転移形成のメカニズムに関して原発巣のみならず転移先の微小環境因子から明らかにすることで、癌微小環境制御という観点から既存の治療と異なるアプローチが期待できるものと考えられる。