Analysis of cancer stem cell maintenance mechanism and screening of inhibitors for cancer stem cell maintenance

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K07311
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 48020:Physiology-related
• Research Institution: Microbial Chemistry Research Foundation
• Principal Investigator: Tatsuda Daisuke 公益財団法人微生物化学研究会, 微生物化学研究所, 研究員 (20442569)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: がん幹細胞 / collagen VI / スフェロイド / がん治療薬

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Tumors are made up of a mixture of cancer cells and normal cells, including stromal cells. For the purpose of creating new anticancer drugs, we focused on cancer stem cells, which are important for tumor development among heterogeneous cancer cells, and analyzed their interaction with stromal cells. As a result, we found collagen VI as a candidate factor that contributes to the maintenance and proliferation of cancer stem cells. In addition, we screen compounds that specifically suppress cancer spheroid formation, which is one of the characteristics of cancer stem cells, in a co-culture with stromal cells using a compound library and microbial metabolites such as actinomycetes and molds, and found hit compounds.

Free Research Field

分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の結果からがん幹細胞性を維持する可能性する因子として見出された間質細胞由来のcollagen VIはすい臓がんや肺がんで初めて見出された成果であり、今後の研究によってこれらのがんに対する治療薬開発へとつながり社会的意義が高い。また、間質細胞との共培養で特異的にがん細胞のスフェロイド形成を抑制する化合物は、そのメカニズムの解析から、がん幹細胞に与える影響を解析できることから学術的意義が高い。