Elucidation of the mechanism of malignant traits in myxofibrosarcoma by mucin profile analysis

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K19627
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Tumor biology and related fields
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Akihiko Kameyama 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 生命工学領域, 上級主任研究員 (80415661)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: ムチン / 粘液線維肉腫 / 粘表皮癌 / 糖鎖 / ヒアルロン酸

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although the number of cases of myxofibrosarcoma was small and only one case was tested, it was found that the tissue contained a large amount of hyaluronic acid. This suggests that the mucus produced by the lesions in this disease is not derived from mucin but from hyaluronic acid. On the other hand, mucoepidermoid carcinoma of salivary glands produced MUC1, which contained a large amount of sialic acid-containing core-2 glycans. Analysis of tissue sections revealed that these MUC1 were expressed in both mucus-producing and non-mucus-producing cells in the malignant areas, and the expression of C2GnT, a gene that synthesizes core-2-glycans, was also consistent with MUC1-positive areas.

Free Research Field

糖鎖解析学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ムチンは通常のプロテオミクスの手法で分析することができず、近年のオミクス技術による進歩からも取り残された未開拓領域となっている。本研究では独自に開発した分子マトリックス電気泳動を用いて、ムチンに着目した粘液産生性腫瘍のバイオマーカー探索研究を行った。中高齢者に好発する粘液線維肉腫や唾液腺の粘表皮癌はいずれも外科的切除が現在唯一の治療法であるが、本研究で見出された特異的マーカーの研究を推し進めることによって治療用抗体の創出など新たな治療法の開発に繋がると期待される。