Elucidation of pancreatic carcinogenesis mechanism via WNT signaling by RNF43 gene abnormalities

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K09038
• 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: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: Sugihara Hidetaka 熊本大学, 病院, 非常勤診療医師 (10608863)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 石本 崇胤 熊本大学, 病院, 特任准教授 (00594889) ; 有馬 浩太 熊本大学, 病院, 非常勤診療医師 (10792616)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 膵癌 / LDHA / CAFs / 乳酸

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We focused on cancer-associated fibroblasts（CAFs） among the various cell types that form cancer tissue, and evaluated the metabolic system of CAFs. Pancreatic cancer cells produced lactate through LDHA, and it was clarified that the lactate produced promotes the growth and progression of CAFs. It was found that CAFs live in symbiosis with cancer cells by reusing lactate produced by cancer cells as nutrients.

Free Research Field

腫瘍生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

膵癌は予後不良な難治がんであり、新たな治療戦略の構築が喫緊の課題である。膵癌細胞に有効な薬剤は少なく、腫瘍細胞のみならず、腫瘍微小環境に存在する細胞群にも有効に作用することで高い治療効果を得ることができる。Cancer associated fibroblasts(CAFs)と呼ばれる線維芽細胞が癌促進に重要な働きをしており、CAFsに着目することで新たな治療戦略を構築しうる可能性がある。