Elucidation of the role of primary afferent fibers in cancer growth and cancer-induced pain in a bone cancer mouse model

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K17798
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 55050:Anesthesiology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University
• Principal Investigator: Nagamine Tatsunari 大阪医科薬科大学, 医学部, 助教 (20867436)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: カプサイシン処置 / TrkA受容体ノックアウトマウス / 4T1 / ルシファラーゼ / DWB / IVIS / 一次求心性線維

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The role of angiogenesis in cancer growth is well-known, but the involvement of the nervous system remains unclear. We investigated whether the destruction of C-fibers, which are strongly associated with chronic pain, not only has analgesic effects but also affects cancer progression and prognosis. It is known that C-fibers can be destroyed by administering capsaicin to newborn mice on day 0 and day 2. We injected mammary cancer cells into the bone marrow cavity of the right tibia of mice with destroyed C-fibers and control mice. We examined the differences in tumor progression and survival rates between the two groups. There was a tendency for tumor growth to be suppressed in the capsaicin-treated group, but there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. We also created Kaplan-Meier survival curves for each group, but there was no significant difference in survival rates.

Free Research Field

疼痛治療学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では骨がんモデルマウスを用いて、神経系（特に一次求心性線維）ががん性疼痛だけでなく、がん増殖に関与するのか、関与するとすればどの神経線維がどのようにがん増殖に関与するのかという機序の解明を目的とした。がん組織と一次求心性線維の方向性作用を検討するもので、神経系からがん増殖への影響を検討することは全く新しい発想である。本研究では有意差が出る様な結果には至らなかったが、がん性疼痛と、がん増殖に対する一次求心性線維の関与が解明されれば、疼痛が抑えられることによってがん患者のQOLが向上し、今までとは全く異なるアプローチでの抗がん剤などのがん治療の選択肢が増える可能性もある。