The role of reactive sulfur species and cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase2 in lung cancer

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K21266
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H06155 (2018)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2019); Single-year Grants (2018)
• Review Section: 0901:Oncology and related fields
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Tsukita Yoko 東北大学, 大学病院, 医員 (50822566)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-08-24 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 肺癌 / CARS2

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase (CARS)2 is known as a novel cysteine hydropersulfide synthase. In our lung cancer tissue biobank, CARS2 mRNA expression decreased in cancer tissues compared to normal tissues. The protein expression of CARS2 in relapsed cancers tended to be lower than in non-relapsed cancers. CARS2 expression significantly correlated with expression of genes encoding other enzymes involved in sulfur metabolism.
These data suggest that sulfur metabolis is associated with the carcinogenesis and cancers vary in their dependence on sulfur metabolism.

Free Research Field

肺癌

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

CARS2が肺癌における発癌・悪性度に寄与している可能性を示した。肺癌におけるCARS2を含むイオウ代謝の関与を明らかにすることは、肺癌の発生や進展に関する未知のメカニズムの解明につながる。さらには、現在の薬物療法の主体である殺細胞性抗がん剤、分子標的治療、免疫療法とは異なる治療標的の発見につながる可能性を秘めている。