Targeting apoptosis pathway as novel therapeutic strategy for prostate cancer

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K09518
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56030:Urology-related
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: Arai Seiji 群馬大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 講師 (10636210)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: アポトーシス / 前立腺癌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

With a small-scale screening of the mitochondria-targeted drug library, we identified one mitochondria-targeted drug that could induce apoptosis and shrinkage in prostate cancer xenograft models. We have revealed that the drug decreased several essential proteins in western blot and immunohistochemistry in vitro and in vivo. We have developed the drug-resistant prostate cancer cell line to identify the drug efficacy and resistance mechanisms. We use this model to compare the genetic and transcriptional differences between parental and resistant cells by whole exome sequence and RNA sequence. We expect to publish the paper based on this result this year.

Free Research Field

前立腺癌、尿路上皮癌

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、複数の前立腺癌細胞に対してアポトーシスを誘導できる薬剤を同定することができた。この薬剤は、マウスゼノグラフトモデルでも同様にアポトーシスを誘導することを確認できた。これらの結果は、前立腺癌に対する新規薬剤の可能性を示唆するものと考えられた。今回同定した薬剤の治療効果メカニズム・耐性メカニズムをさらに解明すること、さらにマウスモデルを用いて最適な投与方法（特に投与間隔）を見出すことで、臨床応用への道が開かれる可能性があると考える。