Role of PYCARD, an apoptosis-inducing gene, in prostatic tumorigenesis

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K07061
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 49030:Experimental pathology-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Fukushige Shinichi 東北大学, 医学系研究科, 特任教授 (90192723)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 癌 / ゲノム / 遺伝子 / 前立腺癌 / PYCARD / DNAメチル化 / モデルマウス / アポトーシス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using mouse model of prostate cancer, we aimed to clarify the role of PYCARD gene, which shows promoter hypermethylation and inactivation in human prostate cancer. Although further analysis is needed to draw conclusions due to the small number of individuals, the genotype of Pycard may influence precancerous lesions and tumor size in prostate cancer in prostate-specific Pten knockout mice.
On the other hand, analysis of human prostate cancer tissue suggested that inactivation of PYCARD may already occur in precancerous lesions and that aberrant DNA methylation of PYCARD is a distinctive feature of prostate cancers with Gleason score >= 7.

Free Research Field

実験病理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究によりジェネティックな異常だけでなくエピジェネティックな異常が前立腺癌の発生・進展に重要な役割を果たし、PYCARDプロモーター領域の高メチル化、PYCARD不活化によるアポトーシス阻害が前立腺癌の前癌病変、腫瘍形成を促進する可能性が示された。PYCARDは、前立腺癌の診断、治療のターゲットになる可能性もあることからさらなる検討が必要である。