Analysis of tumor progression caused by aberrant senescence-like epigenome in breast cancer cells

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K16344
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 50010:Tumor biology-related
• Research Institution: Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research
• Principal Investigator: MIYATA Kenichi 公益財団法人がん研究会, がん研究所 がんエピゲノムプロジェクト, 特任研究員 (20816938)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞老化 / 反復配列 / SASP / 乳がん

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Based on our finding that chromosomal structural alterations (ORSPs) characteristic of senescent cells are also formed in some breast cancers, this study aimed to elucidate the effect of ORSPs in breast cancer on the mechanism of tumor progression.
Through cell biological and bioinformatics analysis, we found that ER (estrogen receptor)-positive breast cancers have a high number of cells that undergo ORSP and that these cells tend to have senescent-like gene expression profile.

Free Research Field

細胞老化

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、細胞生物学的な解析及び情報解析により、ER（エストロゲン受容体）陽性乳がんにおいて老化細胞に類似した遺伝子発現変化を起こしている細胞集団の存在を発見した。これらの研究成果は、乳がんにおいて、老化細胞で特徴的な染色体構造変化（ORSP）を呈する細胞が共通の治療標的となりうる可能性を示唆しており、さらなる研究により新規治療戦略の開発に繋がる可能性が示唆された。