Cancer immunotherapy targeting treatment-resistant urothelilal cancer stem cells

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K18589
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56030:Urology-related
• Research Institution: Sapporo Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Murai Aiko 札幌医科大学, 医学部, 研究員 (10793036)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 尿路上皮癌 / 癌幹細胞 / 免疫療法 / GRIK2

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We established nobel bladder cancer stem cell system using human bladder cancer cell line, UM-UC-3. Using bladder cancer stem cells, we screened antigenic peptides that are expressed on bladder cancer stem cells specifically, and we identified an antigenic peptide derived from GRIK2 is expressed in bladder cancer cells. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) specific for GRIK2 peptide could recognize bladder cancer stem cells, indicating that cancer immunotherapy using GRIK2 peptide can target treatment resistant bladder cancer stem cells.

Free Research Field

免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

癌幹細胞は、化学療法や放射線療法といったこれまでのがん治療法に抵抗性を示す。本研究で発見した GRIK2 ペプチドは、ヒト膀胱癌幹細胞に特異的に発現する免疫療法標的であることを見出した。すなわち、GRIK2ペプチドを用いる事により、治療抵抗性膀胱癌幹細胞を治療できる可能性を示唆する内容であり、膀胱癌治療における新たな方向性を示す内容である。