Construction of anti-cancer drug side effect avoidance model using organ culture method

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K23087
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0907:Oral science and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Funada Ami 九州大学, 歯学研究院, 特別研究員 (10888077)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 器官培養 / スクリーニングモデル / 抗がん剤

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Chemotherapy has a large effect on organ formation, and causes serious side effects on organs formed by epithelial-mesenchymal interactions such as teeth, hair, salivary glands, and taste buds.　Cyclophosphamide (CPA) is an alkylating agent commonly used in the treatment of childhood leukemia and induces cell death of cancer cells. In this study, we performed analysis using an organ culture system to directly observe the molecular mechanism of side effects on organs. Treatment of CPA inhibited the normal growth of tooth germs in the morphogenesis stage by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting the ability of proliferation and differentiation. Furthermore, we found that affected organs could be rescued in a low temperature stimulated environment during CPA treatment, avoiding the inhibition of organ morphogenesis and differentiation by CPA.

Free Research Field

口腔外科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、抗がん剤による副作用は、低温により回避できる可能性が示された。近年、がん治療は飛躍的進歩を遂げており、がんサバイバーと呼ばれる人々が増えてきている一方で、彼らはがん治療による副作用との戦いを余儀なくされている。本研究成果は、がん治療後のQOLの回復の一助となるものであり、低温による副作用の回避が、抗がん剤による歯胚形成阻害や脱毛の予防に役立つ可能性が考えられる。