Research on salivary gland cancer biomarkers using blood microRNA analysis.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K18313
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56050:Otorhinolaryngology-related
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Teshima Masanori 神戸大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (10749146)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 耳下腺癌 / 耳下腺腫瘍 / マイクロRNA / バイオマーカー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to obtain information on miRNAs and metabolites present in the blood in the external jugular vein draining from the tumour side and the normal parotid gland of patients with parotid cancer and to compare their detection in the blood derived from the bilateral parotid glands, in order to search for new biomarkers specific for parotid tumours. As a result, three miRNAs (unpublished and referred to as miR-12xx, miR-67yy and miR-68zz) with different profiles were identified in blood derived from the parotid gland occupied by malignant tumours and normal parotid gland. These miRNAs were found to be less expressed in malignant tumour tissue compared to normal parotid tissue. Further studies will continue to investigate their potential as potential biomarkers.

Free Research Field

頭頸部外科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

唾液腺癌特に耳下腺癌の治療において術前診断は重要であり、術前診断に基づく治療計画が治療成功の鍵となるが、耳下腺癌の組織診断は多彩で予後も著しく異なる。本研究では、耳下腺癌の診断目的に特異的なmiRNAを同定するため、正常耳下腺経由の血液と悪性腫瘍由来血液中のmiRNA発現を比較し、悪性腫瘍血液中のみで低発現なmiRNAを同定した。このmiRNAが今後の耳下腺癌診断のバイオマーカーと成り得るかを診断的応用についても検討可能なものである。