Serum exosomal biomaker analysis in oral cacer

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K18759
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56050:Otorhinolaryngology-related
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Kinoshita Takashi 千葉大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (00648462)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 口腔癌 / マイクロRNA / エクソソーム / バイオマーカー / 血清 / small RNA sequence

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Exosomes are small membrane-bound structures that are secreted by various cell types, including tumor cells. Recent studies indicated that microRNAs are packed in exosomes and can be serum biomarkers for cancer. Here, we conducted small RNA sequencing using serum exosome of oral cancer patients to identify relapse marker. When we compared microRNA profiles of five relapsed patients and four non-relapsed patients, miR-154-3p and miR-763 were identified as relapse markers. In TCGA data analysis, patients with higher expression of miR-154-3p and miR-763 had worse prognosis. A pathway analysis using reactome version 80 showed that Rho signaling pathway was enriched in miR-154-3p putative target genes. Because it has been shown that Rho signaling is implicated in cancer invasion and metastasis, miR-154-3p can lead metastasis by inducing Rho signaling.

Free Research Field

耳鼻咽喉・頭頸部外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

口腔癌において手術治療後の再発および転移は大きな予後不良因子であり、それを予測するバイオマーカーの発見と分子メカニズムの解明は急務である。今回行われた研究では術前の3mlの採血から再発の予測を行おうとするものであり、より低侵襲な方法で再発・転移を予測できる可能性が示唆された。また血清エクソソームから同定された再発予測マイクロRNAは腫瘍での発現においても予後不良因子となることが示され、層別化医療に向けて意義のある研究成果となったと考える。