Clinical significance of liquid biopsy using a novel biomarker for sarcoma

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K09650
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56020:Orthopedics-related
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Kunisada Toshiyuki 岡山大学, 医歯薬学域, 准教授 (80346428)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: バイオマーカー / 骨軟部腫瘍 / 肉腫 / リキッドバイオプシー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We identified a specific monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) in synovial sarcoma and found that its expression in blood varied depending on clinical treatment. The expression of MCT has been reported to be associated with metastasis and clinical prognosis in other carcinomas and sarcomas. The MCT can be monitored with high sensitivity during the treatment of synovial sarcoma and is a promising target for liquid biopsy.
We identified a specific secreted miRNA in serum and culture supernatants from patients with myxofibrosarcoma. The MCT is covered with sarcoma cell-derived exosomes and can lead to an invasive environment by acting on surrounding normal cells, rather than on the sarcoma cells themselves. This may be a novel biomarker for myxofibrosarcoma.

Free Research Field

整形外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

滑膜肉腫と粘液線維肉腫で、新しいバイオマーカーとなりうる疾患特異的な遺伝子異常や発現異常を発見した。エクソソームおよび内在するmiRNAを疾患特異的なバイオマーカーとして利用し、従来の診断法では難しかった肉腫の再発・転移に対して、新しい視点の早期診断法や新規治療法として発展させることが可能である。また、化学療法などの治療抵抗性の原因遺伝子や発現異常が同定できれば、治療成績が不良である肉腫患者の予後改善が期待できる。さらに、健常者を対象とした肉腫の超早期診断法の開発にも繋げたい。