Do changes in the tissue microenvironment induced by radiation-induced inflammatory responses affect mammary carcinogenesis?

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K19970
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 63020:Radiation influence-related
• Research Institution: National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Nagata Kento 国立研究開発法人量子科学技術研究開発機構, 放射線医学研究所 放射線影響研究部, 研究員 (00867236)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: ラット / 乳がん / 放射線 / 幹細胞 / 組織微小環境

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examined whether changes in the tissue microenvironment induced by radiation-induced inflammatory responses affect mammary carcinogenesis.
We established a method to distinguish mammary epithelium cells from stromal tissue, where inflammatory cells are abundant, by using tissue sections and tissue-clearing specimens of rat mammary glands, and confirmed that inflammatory cells (CD68-positive macrophages) are present in the mammary stroma. RNA sequencing was performed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms after radiation exposure, and the data suggest that irradiation suppresses mammary epithelial cell differentiation and activates inflammatory factors. In the future, we will examine the relationship between radiation-induced inflammation and abnormal differentiation of mammary epithelial cells and how it contributes to carcinogenesis.

Free Research Field

放射線生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、放射線被ばく後の数週間以内の乳腺において細胞の分化や炎症について検討した。RNAシーケンスから得られたデータは放射線が乳腺上皮細胞の分化抑制、炎症反応の増大を引き起こす可能性を示唆するものであり、放射線被ばく後数週の乳がん発症前の発がんメカニズムの解明等のつながる基礎的な知見を創出した。今後のさらなるメカニズム研究により、放射線被ばく防護剤、乳がん患者に対する標的分子治療薬の開発等、社会実装に向けた基礎研究となりうる。