Molecular regulation of actin polymerization and arrangement in the lateral front between oral squamous cell carcinoma and non-cancerous epithelium

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K09550
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57020:Oral pathobiological science-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: Abe Tatsuya 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 助教 (70634856)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 丸山 智 新潟大学, 医歯学総合病院, 講師 (30397161) ; 柿原 嘉人 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 助教 (40379938)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 口腔扁平上皮癌 / ladinin-1 / アクチン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have reported that ladinin-1 (LAD1) was highly expressed in cancer tissues adjacent to non-cancerous tissues by proteomic analysis of histopathological specimens of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In a present study, we investigated the role of LAD1 in cancer development. LAD1-knockdown OSCC cells by siRNA method showed decreased cell proliferation, decreased planar cell migration, and enhanced three-dimensional cell migration. LAD1 localized to actin fibers in intracellular actin arcs, and inhibition of LAD1 expression resulted in decreased expansion of lamella and loss of epithelial-like cell morphology. These results suggested that LAD1 involved in cell migration through regulation of actin molecule and related to the expression of epithelial morphology and properties.

Free Research Field

病理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

口腔扁平上皮癌の進展に関連する分子の検索は複数の研究が存在するが、癌-非癌界面に高発現する分子機能に着目した研究は皆無である。癌-非癌界面での癌の進展機構の解明は癌へと進展していくことが予想される前駆病変すなわち“上皮性異形成”や、前浸潤状態である“上皮内癌”といった病変の早期診断や浸潤癌も含めた早期制癌戦略へとつながりうると考えられ、癌細胞の進展機構解明という生物学的意義とともに治療現場への還元を目指せる点で社会的意義があると考えられる。