pancreatic cancer progression by cancer-associated adipocytes derived exosome

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K08445
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 53010:Gastroenterology-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokushima
• Principal Investigator: SATO Yasushi 徳島大学, 大学院医歯薬学研究部(医学域), 特任教授 (80343383)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 三好 人正 徳島大学, 病院, 診療支援医師 (00814625) ; 高山 哲治 徳島大学, 大学院医歯薬学研究部(医学域), 教授 (10284994) ; 岡本 耕一 徳島大学, 病院, 講師 (60531374)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 膵臓癌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have previously reported that cancer-associated adipocytes (CAAs) play an important role in the malignant transformation of pancreatic cancer cells by enhancing their SAA-1 expression. However, the detailed mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we focused on miRNAs that specifically regulate the expression of various cancer-related genes and investigated the mechanism of CAA-induced pancreatic cancer progression by bioinformatics analysis of miRNAs contained in exosomes secreted from CAA. The results revealed that miRs produced from CAAs are introduced into pancreatic cancer cells via the exosome and suppress SOCS7 expression, thereby up regulating SAA-1 expression and promoting malignant transformation of pancreatic cancer cells. These results suggest that miR may be a candidate for novel biomarkers and molecular-targeted drugs for pancreatic cancer.

Free Research Field

消化器病

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究によりexosome中のmiRNAプロファイルを明らかにできればliquid biopsyによる膵癌特異的な診断モダリテイーやCAA側を標的とした全く新規の膵癌治療法の開発を行うための研究基盤が得られ、極めて難治である膵癌の診断、治療に大きな革新をもたらすことが期待でき、その臨床的意義は極めて大きいと考えられる。