Immune evasion of uniquely induced pancreatic cancer stem like cells

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K17655
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 55020:Digestive surgery-related
• Research Institution: Yamaguchi University
• Principal Investigator: Matsukuma Satoshi 山口大学, 医学部, 特別医学研究員 (10634743)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 癌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using a unique cancer stem cell induction method, pancreatic cancer stem cell-like cells (P-CSLCs) were obtained from cell lines, and calreticulin (CALR) and cathepsin B (CTSB) were identified as characteristic proteins of P-CSLCs by proteomics. The results showed that CALR-high expressing cells have enhanced sphere formation and tumorigenic potential, and decreased expression of HLA class I compared to CALR-low expressing cells. The expression of secreted protein CTSB, which was highly expressed in P-CSLCs, was also shown to correlate with the prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer.

Free Research Field

消化器外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究によって、膵がん幹細胞様細胞 (Pancreatic cancer stem-like cell; P-CSLC) におけるカルレティキュリン (CALR) の細胞表面移行によってHLAクラスIの細胞表面発現も低下することが示され、P-CSLCにおける免疫逃避機構の存在が示された。また、P-CSLCに特徴的なバイオマーカーとして分泌たんぱくであるカテプシンB (CTSB) を同定し、膵がんにおけるCTSB発現が膵がん患者予後と相関することが示され、本研究から学術的・社会的に意義のある成果が得られた。