Molecular mechanisms of vasculogenic mimicry in high-metastatic Lewis lung carcinoma

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K15607
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General medical chemistry
• Research Institution: Kanazawa Medical University
• Principal Investigator: SAITO-TAKATSUJI Hidehito (齋藤) 金沢医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (40768959)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 腫瘍血管 / 擬似血管

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We created tumor cells with the property of inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to clarify how tumors that are resistant to antitumor drugs, which suppress tumor blood vessels, form vessels and grow. As a result, tumor blood vessels were induced in the tumor that grew without VEGF, and sinusoidal blood vessels that found in highly metastatic tumor were constructed in that. Furthermore, it was revealed that these tumor blood vessels, unlike tumor blood vessels that don’t have VEGF resistance, have increased expression of lymphatic system genes and acquire lymphoid vessels-like traits.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで腫瘍血管をターゲットとしたがん抑制戦略が提唱され、血管新生機能を持つVEGFを抑制する抗VEGF抗体抗がん剤等が開発されてきたが、単独では抗腫瘍効果の見られないがんが多く存在する。本研究によって作成した腫瘍細胞がVEGF阻害剤抵抗性の腫瘍モデルとして利用可能であることが確かめられたことから、抗VEGF抗体抗がん剤抵抗能を獲得する分子メカニズムの解明、そしてVEGFを標的とした抗がん剤抵抗性腫瘍の治療戦略の開発につながるものと期待される。