Development of inhibitory method against cancer cell growth with few side effects using nutritional ingredients

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K05930
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 38050:Food sciences-related
• Research Institution: Aomori University
• Principal Investigator: FUKUI Masayuki 青森大学, 薬学部, 教授 (60392502)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 金光 兵衛 国際医療福祉大学, 薬学部, 教授 (00265084)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: アポトーシス / 不飽和脂肪酸 / がん細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A molecule called TRAIL can specifically induce cell death in cancer cells without affecting normal cells. However, some cancer cells are less sensitive to TRAIL-induced cell death. In this study, we tried to clarify that the unsaturated fatty acids that humans ingest on a daily basis increase the cancer-cell-specific cell death induced by TRAIL against cancer cells in which TRAIL alone cannot induce cell death. As a result, we found that the treatment of breast cancer cells with unsaturated fatty acids changed the expression level of Bcl-2 family proteins, which are molecules that regulate cell death.

Free Research Field

分子細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

不飽和脂肪酸によってTRAIL感受性を誘導できる細胞株と誘導できない細胞株の応答の違いを明らかにすることで、がん細胞の薬剤耐性獲得メカニズムを明らかにすることができ、新しい抗腫瘍薬の標的候補の探索に繋がる。また、これまでの抗腫瘍薬は正常細胞にも影響し副作用を示すものが多く、患者のQOL低下が問題となる。不飽和脂肪酸の様な栄養成分でがん細胞の細胞死感受性を上昇させ、抗腫瘍薬の投与量を下げることができる。抗腫瘍薬の副作用の影響を低減することは、患者のQOLの向上が期待できる。