Molecular characterization of carcinoma arising in mature cystic teratoma of the ovary

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K16760
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56040:Obstetrics and gynecology-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: Tamura Ryo 新潟大学, 医歯学総合病院, 助教 (70650620)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 卵巣成熟嚢胞性奇形腫 / RNAシーケンス / XCL1 / TP53 / PIK3CA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we analyzed RNA-sequencing data of 2322 pan-cancer [1378 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), 6 adenosquamous carcinomas (ASC), and 938 adenocarcinomas (AC)] including six carcinomas arising from MCT (four SCCs, one ASC, and one AC). Hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis showed that gene expression profiles of carcinomas arising from MCT were different between each histological type and that gene expression profiles of SCCs arising MCT (MCT-SCCs) was apparently similar to those of lung SCCs. Next, we identified XCL1 was specifically overexpressed in MCT-SCCs. XCL1 expression was also significantly associated with the number of tumor-infiltrating CD8-positive T cells and PD-L1 expression on tumor cells. XCL1 expression may be a biomarker candidate for therapeutic response to an anti-PD1/PD-L1 therapy.

Free Research Field

産婦人科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでに明らかになっていなかった卵巣成熟嚢胞性奇形腫悪性転化の分子生物学的特徴について、統合オミックス解析を用いて明らかにした。特に重要な点として、本疾患の腫瘍XCL1発現が、免疫チェックポイント阻害薬の治療効果を予測するバイオマーカーになる可能性が示唆されたことが挙げられる。本研究は、本疾患における免疫チェックポイント阻害薬の有効性を示唆する重要な結果であり、臨床的意義が大きいと思われる。