Analysis of one morecule RNA methylation in HNSCC

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K18277
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56050:Otorhinolaryngology-related
• Research Institution: Hamamatsu University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Mochizuki Daiki 浜松医科大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (40467246)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: RNA修飾 / m6Aシークエンス / ナノポアシークエンサー / エピトランスクリプトーム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It is widely recognised that DNA methylation and other base modifications have diverse effects, including oncogenic mechanisms. In particular, with the recent development of molecular biology with the advent of next-generation sequencers, epitranscriptome research in the RNA domain has been expanding. We have specifically studied DNA methylation in head and neck cancer using tumour and normal specimens. Recently, we have worked on RNA methylation analysis using fluorescence methods. Fluorescence m6A assays have shown that the m6A ratio in head and neck cancers is high in the tumour zone and that the high m6A ratio group has a poor prognosis.
We performed another comprehensive single-molecule RNA modification and accumulated knowledge on RNA methylation and the mechanism of cancerisation in head and neck cancers, which is more in line with the actual situation of RNA modification.

Free Research Field

頭頸部癌

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

1分子RNA修飾は、特に頭頸部癌においてRNA修飾解析で革新的な進歩をもたらす可能性がある。これで、DNA修飾の研究が中心であったが、網羅的1分子RNA修飾解析によって、あらたな頭頸部癌研究のフィールドを切り開く可能性がある。頭頸部癌に特異的な1分子RNA修飾が特定できたら、リキッドバイオプシーにて1分子RNA修飾を検知する新しい手法の開発につながる可能がある。