Functional analysis of FAP alpha in cancer cell

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K09005
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 55020:Digestive surgery-related
• Research Institution: Shiga University of Medical Science
• Principal Investigator: Shimizu Tomoharu 滋賀医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (70402708)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 谷 眞至 滋賀医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (60236677) ; 三宅 亨 滋賀医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (70581924)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 大腸癌 / FAPα / バイオマーカー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Fibroblast activation protein α (FAPα) is a member of the serine protease family of plasma membrane proteins and plays an important function as a degradative enzyme. FAPα expressed in the stroma in the peritumoral environment of cancers can establish a favorable tumor microenvironment for tumor progression, such as promoting cancer cell proliferation and angiogenesis, and suppressing tumor immunity by reducing tumor immunity via T cells and macrophages. The expression of FAPα in cancer stroma is a poor prognostic factor for cancer patients. However, it is not clear how FAPα expressed in cancer cells is involved in prognosis. In this study, we investigated the effects of FAPα expression on the tumor microenvironment, including the tumor and stroma, and its clinical implications.

Free Research Field

大腸癌

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

大腸癌は、2017年の女性における死亡原因の１位であり、対策が必要な疾患の一つである。大腸癌において遺伝子変異の重要性などが明らかになっているがFAPαに関しては未だ十分ではない。生体内では癌と間質ではFAPαは異なった役割を果たしている可能性があり、大腸癌におけるFAPαを明らかにすることで癌の治療やバイオマーカーの開発につながる可能性がある。