Elucidation of specific microRNA in long-term surviving pancreatic cancer

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K17034
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 53010:Gastroenterology-related
• Research Institution: Tokai University
• Principal Investigator: MORIMACHI MASASHI 東海大学, 医学部, 助教 (70838010)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 膵癌 / microRNA / バイオマーカー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

By comprehensively comparing the expression of microRNAs in pancreatic cancer patients who survived more than 5 years after surgery and those who died less than 1 year after surgery, we found several microRNAs whose expression was　significantly downregulated in long-term survivors.
Next, we performed a cell proliferation assay using a pancreatic cancer cell line and found that these microRNAs are associated with the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells.
Furthermore, we selected proteins associated with these microRNAs from various databases and literature, and performed immunostaining. The results showed that pancreatic cancers with low expression of DDX5 had a very poor prognosis.

Free Research Field

消化器癌

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

膵癌は極めて予後不良な悪性疾患の1つであり、生存期間中央値はわずか14.7ヶ月である。膵癌の予後を改善させるためには早期発見が重要であるが、早期膵癌に特徴的な身体症状や血液検査所見は乏しく、早期診断は極めて困難である。microRNAはリキットバイオプシーの開発項目の1つであり、悪性腫瘍を始めとする各種疾患の早期診断や治療標的として近年注目されている。本研究はこれまで報告されていなかったmicroRNAと蛋白の膵癌予後との関連を明らかにした。本研究成果は膵癌の新しい治療ストラテジーの開発に貢献する可能性がある。