Exploration of molecular pathways for lung cancer with interstitial pneumonia and development of new treatments based on understanding of functional RNA integration

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K08656
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 53030:Respiratory medicine-related
• Research Institution: Kagoshima University
• Principal Investigator: Sanada Hiroki 鹿児島大学, 医歯学総合研究科, 客員研究員 (10837777)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 関 直彦 千葉大学, 大学院医学研究院, 准教授 (50345013) ; 水野 圭子 鹿児島大学, 医歯学総合研究科, 特任准教授 (50531414)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: マイクロRNA / 間質性合併肺癌 / 扁平上皮癌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Analysis of the microRNA expression signature of lung cancer combined with interstitial lung disease (lung squamous cell carcinoma: LUSQ) revealed that expression of miR-150-3p was significantly reduced in cancer tissues. The downregulation of miR-150-3p in LUSQ tissues was confirmed by data in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The ectopic expression of miR-150-3p attenuated cancer cell aggressive features, e.g., cell cycle arrest, migration and invasive abilities. Our target search strategy successfully identified a total of 49 putative targets that were listed as subjects of miR-150-3p regulation in LUSQ cells. Interestingly, among these targets, 17 genes were categorized as related to the “cell cycle” based on Gene Ontology (GO) classification.

Free Research Field

肺癌

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

肺癌は最も致命的な癌の一つであり、2020年には約7万5千人の患者がこの病気で死亡した。特に間質性肺炎を合併した肺癌患者の治療選択は限定的であり、患者の予後は極めて不良である。現在、間質性肺炎合併肺癌患者に対する有効な治療法は存在しない。
本研究では、間質性肺炎合併肺癌（肺扁平上皮癌）において、miR-150-3pが癌抑制型マイクロRNAであることを明らかにした。疾患の原因について、癌抑制型マイクロRNAの一つが明らかになったことは、治療法の開発に向けた基礎研究としての学術的・社会的に重要な意義を持つ。