Impact of skin bacteria and cellular senescence on cutaneous tumor malignant conversion

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K07446
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 49030:Experimental pathology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Kawamoto Shimpei 大阪大学, 微生物病研究所, 助教 (40612081)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 皮膚細菌 / 細胞老化 / 線維芽細胞 / 皮膚腫瘍

Outline of Final Research Achievements

By establishing a new detection method for senescent cells, we found that cellular senescence is induced in dermal fibroblasts at the site of skin tumors. Furthermore, we found that cellular senescence is induced in dermal fibroblasts via metabolites secreted by skin bacteria. The induction of cellular senescence in dermal fibroblast leads to abnormal proliferation of epidermal cells and accelerates the malignant transformation of skin tumors. These findings provide a partial picture of the mechanism of skin cancer promotion via the induction of cellular senescence by skin bacteria.

Free Research Field

免疫学、細菌学、細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

老化や様々な疾患発症の原因となることが知られるものの、検出が困難であった老化細胞の新規検出法の確立により、老化細胞を対象とした研究のさらなる発展に貢献できる。さらに、生体内の細胞老化誘導に関わる因子として皮膚細菌の重要性が明らかとなった。細胞の誘導因子また、皮膚腫瘍の悪性化に関与することが明らかとなった皮膚細菌や老化細胞を標的とすることで、皮膚腫瘍の新規治療法の開発につながる。