Elucidation of the acquisition mechanism of immune escape mechanism of pancreatic cancer using single cell analysis and development of control methods

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K22818
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0901:Oncology and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: TAKESUE Shin 九州大学, 医学研究院, 共同研究員 (30883425)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 膵癌 / CAF / 膵癌自然発癌モデル / scRNA-seq

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We transplanted pancreatic cancer cells derived from a spontaneous pancreatic carcinogenesis model into C56BL/6 mice. Pin1, a proline isomerase, was overexpressed in pancreatic cancer cells and CAFs, indicating that targeted therapy against Pin1 can remodel the immunosuppressive microenvironment. Next, we evaluated the immunosuppressive microenvironment by scRNA-seq in human gastric cancer, a gastrointestinal cancer. We found that the expression of immunosuppression-related genes in myeloid cells was higher than in other immunosuppressive cells.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

Pin1分子は膵癌に対して有望な新規治療薬であり、難治性膵癌の治療に活路を見出す可能性が示唆された。また、Pin1は癌関連線維芽細胞にも過剰発現しており、スキルス胃癌などの豊富な間質成分を有する他の癌腫でも有望な標的分子であると考えられた。