A genetic approach for the mechanism of tumor malignancy in Drosophila.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K21544
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 50:Oncology and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Kanda Hiroshi 京都大学, 生命科学研究科, 准教授 (60508597)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: ショウジョウバエ / がん悪性化 / 遺伝学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

When homozygous mutation for regulators of apico-basal polarity was introduced in Drosophila eye imaginal disc, these cells are eliminated by 'cell competition'. Intriguingly, when Ras signal was activated in these cells, they overcome cell competition, and show malignant behavior such as massive growth and invasion/metastasis. We found the appearance of asymmetric cell division marker-positive cells as well as neuroblast marker-positive cells in these malignant cells. We also found that these cells acquire malignancy with JNK-dependent manner.

Free Research Field

遺伝学、細胞生物学、分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

遺伝学的に誘導した 「均一な」変異細胞クローン中に、時間経過とともに他とは性質が異なるがん幹細胞様細胞が一定の割合で出現する現象はこれまでにほとんど報告されていない。また、申請者らはショウジョウバエの強力な遺伝学を応用することで制御機構を in vivo で解析することに成功している。以上の点から、本研究から得られる成果が関連研究分野及び社会にもたらす波及効果は極めて高い。