Analysis of the molecular function of STAC2, a novel cancer metastasis-associated molecule, and its clinical significance in breast cancer

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K16733
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 50010:Tumor biology-related
• Research Institution: Shizuoka Cancer Center Research Institute
• Principal Investigator: Kawata Takuya 静岡県立静岡がんセンター(研究所), その他部局等, 研究員 (30792494)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: がん転移

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Analysis was performed to analyze the molecular function of STAC2, a novel candidate cancer metastasis-associated molecule, and its clinical significance in human breast cancer. In cultured mouse breast cancer cell lines, STAC2 was suggested to be associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis. However, in human breast cancer cultured cell lines, no data were obtained to correlate STAC2 expression with malignancy. We also analyzed the relationship between STAC2 mRNA expression and clinicopathological factors in human breast cancer using clinical specimens. The results showed that STAC2 expression did not correlate with malignancy. In addition, ACACA-STAC2, a novel driver fusion gene candidate, was not detected in the analyzed cases.

Free Research Field

病理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

新規がん転移関連分子候補STAC2と転移を含むがんの悪性度との関連を明らかにすることを目的とした。これにより、複雑な転移メカニズムの一端を解明するだけでなく、転移を標的とする新たな創薬ターゲットとなる可能性を期待した。今回の解析から、ヒト乳がん細胞株を用いた実験ではSTAC2の高発現が悪性度を増強する結果は得られなかった。また、STAC2の発現と乳癌症例を用いた解析では臨床病理学的な因子との相関を認めなかった。また、ACACA-STAC2融合遺伝子の頻度は極めて低く、解析症例中には見いだせなかった。以上より、STAC2はヒトがんにおいて転移や悪性形質との関連が低いと想定される。