Possible growth signal transduction between Th17 cells and breast cancer cells

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K09065
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 55010:General surgery and pediatric surgery-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: SUZUKI Takashi 東北大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (10261629)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 乳癌 / Th17細胞 / 好中球

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We examined clinicopathological significance of CLEC2D and Th17 cell infiltration in order to address possible signal transduction between Th17 cells and breast cancer cells.
CLEC2D immunoreactivity was detected in the cytoplasm and plasma membrane of carcinoma cells and it turned out a potent prognostic factor associated with cell proliferation. On the other hand, IL-17 significantly induced CXCL, chemoattractant for neutrophil in triple negative breast cancer cells and contributed increased neutrophil infiltration into breast cancer tissues. In addition, Th17 cell infiltration was turned out a worse prognostic factor in triple negative breast cancer patients.

Free Research Field

病理学、腫瘍学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

乳癌を含む固形腫瘍にはTh17細胞がしばしば浸潤しているが、その意義はこれまで十分明らかでなかった。本研究ではTh17細胞が乳癌細胞に発現するCLEC2Dを介して乳癌の増殖を促している可能性、ならびにIL-17Aが乳癌組織への好中球の遊走を促進している可能性が明らかとなった。これらの成果は乳癌の治療抵抗性メカニズムの解明や新規治療標的の探索に居するものと考えられ、他の癌腫への応用も期待されると考えられる。