Disruption of Eph receptor signaling in cancer cells

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K06215
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 44010:Cell biology-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Katoh Hironori 京都大学, 生命科学研究科, 准教授 (50303847)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: がん / 受容体 / シグナル伝達

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The ephrin receptor (Eph) plays various roles in the developmental process, such as nerve axon guidance and vascular guidance, by binding to the ligand ephrin in normal tissues. On the other hand, it has been reported that the Eph receptor is highly expressed in cancer cells, suggesting that it is involved in cancer malignant transformation. In this study, it was newly found that 1) EphA3 acts in a ligand-independent manner to promote the formation of glioblastoma cell aggregates under suspension culture conditions, 2) EphA2 promotes glioblastoma cell survival under glucose-limited conditions in a ligand-independent manner, and 3) overexpression of EphA3 promotes cell motility.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、がん細胞においてのみ特に活性化されているEph受容体シグナルに焦点を絞り、そのシグナル伝達に関わる分子を網羅的に解析していくことで、がんの悪性化を担う新たなシグナル伝達の一端を解明することをめざすとともに、がん細胞の悪性度の違いを分子レベルで明らかにしていくことを目的とする。本研究による成果は、副作用の少ない抗がん剤やがんの悪性度を示す新たな指標の創出に寄与する可能性が考えられる。