Deciphering the heterogeneity of the cancer-derived exosomes and single cell analysis of exosome uptaken cells

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H03508
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 50010:Tumor biology-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Hoshino Ayuko 東京工業大学, 生命理工学院, 准教授 (00819964)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: がん転移 / エクソソーム / 臓器特異的転移 / 前転移ニッチ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we aimed to determine which subpopulation of cancer cell-derived exosomes has cancer metastasis-promoting potential, and furthermore, to elucidate specific cellular state of cancer cells that produce such exosomes. We found that integrin α6β4-positive exosomes produced by lung metastatic cancer cells, which have been shown to promote a favorable environment for promoting metastasis in the lung, do not have a specific size distribution, but are widely distributed in the range of 30-150 nm. Among lung metastatic breast cancer cells, certain cells were found to produce large numbers of integrin α6β4-positive exosomes, suggesting the existence of a specific cellular state to induce specific protein cargo packaging in exosomes for promoting lung metastasis.

Free Research Field

疾患生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、がん転移を引き起こすエクソソームの特徴とメカニズムが時空間別に同定されると、がん転移の新たな診断法および治療法の確立に貢献できると考えている。特に、これまでに転移先の臓器側を転移前にターゲットとする治療法は存在しておらず、本研究により転移抑制的な、新しい治療戦略を提唱できると考えている。