Establishment of a basis for the development of anti-aging medicine using spontaneous senescent cells

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K05308
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 37030:Chemical biology-related
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Iwasaki Tetsushi 神戸大学, バイオシグナル総合研究センター, 助教 (40379483)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 鎌田 真司 神戸大学, バイオシグナル総合研究センター, 教授 (20243214)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 自発老化細胞 / がん細胞 / メラノーマ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Senescent cells have been reported to appear in tumor tissue and contribute to tumor malignancy. However, the mechanisms of their formation and pathological functions remain to be elucidated. We found spontaneous senescent cells that arise spontaneously from melanoma cells. Since spontaneous senescent cells are considered a cellular model for the senescent cells in tumor tissue, we analyzed their nature in this study. We found that spontaneous senescent cells are enabled to form by excessive cell growth signals, that they form polyploidy by abnormal cell division, and that they become resistant to apoptosis by senescence. Secretions from spontaneous senescent cells were also shown to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition in surrounding cells. Spontaneous senescent cells could be established as a useful platform for the investigation of anti-aging cell drugs in tumor tissue.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の推進により、自発老化細胞の形成過程や安定性などの特性が明らかになった。また自発老化細胞はインターロイキンやマトリクスメタロプロテアーゼなどの分泌因子を介して周辺細胞に上皮間葉転換を誘導することが示された。さらに自発老化細胞に特異的に高発現している細胞表面タンパク質を薬剤の標的候補として選抜し、スクリーニング実験に適したシステムを構築することに成功した。本研究成果は加齢性疾患の早期発見や治療に直結するものであり、健康寿命促進と高齢者QOLの向上に大いに貢献できる。