Are TROY related genes effective as markers for predicting recurrence of colorectal cancer?

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K16980
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52010:General internal medicine-related
• Research Institution: Yamaguchi University
• Principal Investigator: Nishioka Mitsuaki 山口大学, 医学部附属病院, 臨床・衛生検査技師長 (70738963)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 大腸癌 / long non coding RNA / TROY / LGR5

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the tumor tissue of colorectal cancer patients, it was confirmed that the co-overexpression group of the TROY gene LGR5 gene had a significantly shorter recurrence period after surgery for colorectal cancer than the other groups. From in vitro asssy, it was confirmed that overexpression of TROY alone enhances cell proliferation ability, and co-overexpression of TROY and LGR5 enhances cell invasion ability. It was confirmed that co-overexpression of both genes may contribute to invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer. Furthermore, from the results of RNA microarray analysis and examination using clinical specimens of colorectal cancer, it was confirmed that the expression level of “long non-coding RNA X” was significantly increased in the cancerous part compared to the non-cancerous part.

Free Research Field

腫瘍診断学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

TROYとLGR5の共過剰発現が大腸癌の再発に大きな役割を果たしている可能性が示唆された。また、我々が発見したTROYとLGR5に関連した機能未知のlong non coding RNAを用いて、大腸癌再発の予後予測可能な検査や臨床応用可能な新規治療薬開発や創薬に利用することで、大腸癌患者の手術後の再発率の改善や生存率の向上だけでなく、生活の質が向上するほどのインパクトを社会に与えうると考える。