The role of adipocytes and their regulation in the proliferation and progression of uterine corpus cancer cells

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K09231
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56040:Obstetrics and gynecology-related
• Research Institution: Saga University
• Principal Investigator: Yokoyama Masatoshi 佐賀大学, 医学部, 教授 (40230669)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 青木 茂久 佐賀大学, 医学部, 准教授 (10448441)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 子宮体癌 / 脂肪細胞 / 三次元培養

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we demonstrated that adipocyte tissue is involved in the growth and invasion of uterine corpus cancer by establishing a novel culture method. This effect is expected to be mediated by the p38 pathway. In particular, we demonstrated that adipose tissue may regulate the cell dynamics of uterine corpus cancer as a cancer-associated adipocyte in vitro. The present study is expected to lead to the establishment of new therapeutic strategies for uterine corpus cancer and to the application of patient specimens in precision medicine as a tool for evaluating the efficacy of various drugs, including novel molecular target drugs.

Free Research Field

婦人科悪性腫瘍

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

子宮体癌細胞－脂肪組織解析モデル用いて、免疫組織化学、Western blot 、real-time RT-PCR、ELISA等を用いて解析し、癌細胞の生存、増殖、遊走、浸潤における皮下、内臓脂肪組織の影響とその相違を解析した。新規培養方法を確立することで、脂肪細胞組織が子宮体癌の増殖、浸潤に関与することを明らかにした。この新規培養法を用いることで子宮体癌への新たな治療戦略の確立が期待される。