Epithelial-stromal crosstalk during acquisition of atypical phenotypes in oral mucosal epithelium

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K18741
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 57060:Surgical dentistry-related
• Research Institution: The Nippon Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Henmi Takuo 日本歯科大学, 生命歯学部, 講師 (20814883)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 口腔癌 / 扁平上皮癌 / 癌微小環境 / 早期悪性病変 / 異型上皮 / 間質応答

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the process of malignant transformation of the oral mucosa, morphological/structural changes occur in the stroma along with the emergence of atypical epithelium. To clarify the interaction between atypical epithelium and stromal cells (epithelial-stromal crosstalk), this study investigated the relationship between atypical epithelium and stromal elements in early mucosal lesions. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the expression pattern of p53 tumor suppressor gene is varied in atypical epithelium, and that the distribution of antigen-presenting cells changes in the transitional region from healthy epithelium to atypical epithelium.

Free Research Field

口腔病理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

口腔癌の罹患者数は、特に高齢化が加速する本邦においては増加傾向にあり、早期転移での死亡率が高い現状からも早期発見につながる診断指標の検索が急務である。本研究の成果は、癌抑制遺伝子p53発現を病変領域全体の発現様式から捉えることにより癌形質を区別しうること、また、初期の表在性病変において周囲の間質環境に微小変化をきたしていることを示した。これらの知見は、早期病変の診断指標となるとともに、治療戦略を講じるうえで重要と考えている。