Development of new treatments of non-viral hepatocellular carcinoma through targeting microbiota

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K17658
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 55020:Digestive surgery-related
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: Mima Kosuke 熊本大学, 病院, 特任助教 (00546559)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 肝細胞癌 / 肝転移 / 腸内細菌 / 免疫細胞 / フレイル / Fusobacterium nucleatum

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Evidence suggests that the gut microbiome inhibits antitumor immune responses and promotes the development of gastrointestinal cancer. The liver is exposed to bacteria via blood through the portal vein has many immune cells such as T-cells and macrophages. We found that high TAN (tumor associated neutrophils) (p=0.0398), low CD8+ cells (p=0.0275), and high TAM (tumor associated macrophages) (p=0.001) were significantly associated with worse overall survival (OS), and that high TAN (p=0.010), and high TAM (p=0.00125) were significantly associated with worse disease-free survival (DFS).

Free Research Field

消化器外科学、外科腫瘍学、腫瘍免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

肝細胞癌は、本邦はもちろん国際的に罹患数・死亡数が多い癌で、予後不良の疾患である。近年本邦において　肝炎ウイルス感染を伴わない肝細胞癌が増加している。本研究により、肝細胞癌組織中の免疫細胞が肝細胞癌の発育進展に重要な役割を果たしていることが明らかとなり、本研究の成果は細菌を標的とした非B非C型肝細胞癌の新たな治療法の開発のための有益な情報となることが期待される。