Establishment of human pancreatic cancer model animals and analysis of exosomes as novel biomarkers

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K22800
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0901:Oncology and related fields
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: Ogawa Kohei 新潟大学, 医歯学総合研究科, 特任助教 (20882781)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 膵癌 / モデル動物 / 遺伝子ハイドロダイナミック法 / エクソソーム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We aimed to establish an animal model of pancreatic cancer using our original pancreatic selective hydrodynamic gene delivery method. The natural history of pancreatic cancer is known to be multistage carcinogenesis, and KRAS, CDKN2A, TP53, SMAD4, and YAP genes, which have been reported to be related genes, were selected. These genes were selectively introduced into the pancreas using the hydrodynamic method. Among them, we found an individual that develops pancreatic duct cancer with KRAS gene and YAP gene. Therefore, in order to induce pancreatic carcinogenesis more effectively, the KRAS gene and the YAP gene were introduced simultaneously. Furthermore, it was confirmed that pancreatic cancer model animals could be created at an early stage by repeating gene transfer multiple times.

Free Research Field

悪性腫瘍

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

膵癌モデル動物は、これまで報告がない。この膵癌モデル動物が作出方法が確立されたことで、これまで最難治の癌である膵癌の新規治療や早期発見のバイオマーカー確立につながる革新的な研究成果と考える。
この基礎研究が、将来膵癌患者の生命予後改善に寄与しうる期待して、膵癌組織からのタンパクやエクソソーム解析を引き続き行っていくことが重要である。