The development of anticancer drugs via novel function: Analysis of cancer stem cell supression mechanisms of food component

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K05440
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 38050:Food sciences-related
• Research Institution: The University of Shiga Prefecture
• Principal Investigator: Endo Hiroshi 滋賀県立大学, 人間文化学部, 准教授 (30567912)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: HSF1 / 癌幹細胞 / ストレスタンパク質

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Curcumin and hesperetin are known to exert inhibitory effects on cancer cells. We have previously shown that these effects are based on the repressive effect of the transcription factor HSF1, which is activated upon stress in normal cells and protects cells from cell death. On the other hand, in cancer cells, HSF1 is known to evade cell death induction by being constantly activated. Recently, HSF1 has been shown to be involved in the maintenance of cancer stem cells, a major factor in cancer recurrence and metastasis. In this study, we found that curcumin and hesperetin act in an inhibitory manner against cancer stem cells through their inhibitory effects on HSF1.

Free Research Field

分子細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現在，日本人の死因第一位はがんであり，日本人の二人に一人はがんに罹患すると言われている．医療技術が発達してもがんによる死亡率が下がらない大きな要因として，がんは転移や再発が防げないことがある．この転移・再発の原因として癌幹細胞の存在が注目されている．癌幹細胞は化学療法や放射線治療に対しても耐性を有していることも知られている．本研究では，この癌幹細胞に対して抑制効果を発揮する成分を食品中から見出し，新たな抗癌剤の候補として，その効果や作用機序を明らかとしており，次世代のがん治療の一つの候補となることが考えられる．