Development of novel tumor markers focusing on urinary free-glycans

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K16569
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52010:General internal medicine-related
• Research Institution: Osaka International Cancer Institute
• Principal Investigator: Hanzawa Ken 地方独立行政法人大阪府立病院機構大阪国際がんセンター(研究所), その他部局等, 研究員 (00808347)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 糖鎖 / 遊離糖鎖 / がん / 尿 / 高速液体クロマトグラフィー / 質量分析 / 選択反応モニタリング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Altered glycan levels, which are specific in cancer patients, have been used as tumor markers. Those glycans are glycoconjugates that exist as glycoproteins or glycolipids. On the other hand, free glycans that are not covalently bound to other molecules have received less attention. Therefore, to identify novel tumor marker candidates, urinary free-glycans (acidic fraction) from cancer patients were investigated. The glycans were analyzed by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. As a result, glycans that showed characteristic increasing trends in some cancer patients were found.

Free Research Field

糖鎖生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

糖鎖はこれまでも腫瘍マーカーとして広く用いられ、また、さまざまな研究が行われてきた。本研究は遊離糖鎖に着目するという点で新しい試みであり、現在までの糖鎖マーカー研究をさらに発展させるものである。また、尿中遊離糖鎖の詳細なプロファイリングは、がんを含む疾患と糖鎖の生合成・代謝に関する新たな知見を提供するものである。