Development of new diagnostic and therapeutic methods and the elucidation of the mechanism of malignant transformation for rare chorionic diseases PSTT and ETT

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K18215
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56040:Obstetrics and gynecology-related
• Research Institution: Kanazawa University
• Principal Investigator: Kayahashi Kayo 金沢大学, 附属病院, 医員 (80724195)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: PSTT / ETT / single cell analysis

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Microarray RNA analysis was performed on PSTT tumor tissues. We were able to identify candidate molecules for existing molecular-targeted therapies. On the other hand, as a result of single cell whole genome sequence analysis of PSTT tissue, some genomic changes related to tumor progression were picked up.　Furthermore, oncogenesis and tumor progression factors were identified through Bioinformatic analysis. In the future, from the data obtained from the whole genomic single cell analysis, knockout of the relevant gene or mutation similar to the case will be introduced by CRISPR / Cas9 genome editing method into immortalized EVT precursor cells in order to induce oncogenesis or tumor progression.

Free Research Field

産科婦人科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

PSTTとETTの病他院は不明な点が多く残されており、手術以外の有効な治療法は確立していない。今回腫瘍組織のSingle cell全ゲノム解析を行った結果、腫瘍進展に関わるゲノム変化がいくつかピックアップされたため、同部に対するPathway解析などを通じて、癌化ならびに腫瘍進展因子を同定した。これらはPSTTやETTの悪性化機構の解明につながる可能性があり、学術的意義がある。
また既存の分子標的治療薬の候補分子を同定したことで、今後早期に既存の治療法を応用できる可能性があり、社会的意義が大きい。