Analysis of functional changes in NK cells in the TME of esophageal cancer due to chemotherapy using scRNA-seq

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K08800
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 55020:Digestive surgery-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: MORIYAMA Taiki 九州大学, 医学研究院, 共同研究員 (70586859)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 甲斐 昌也 九州大学, 医学研究院, 共同研究員 (10755242)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 腫瘍微小環境 / heterogeneity / scRNA-seq / 食道癌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

There is a phenomenon known as heterogeneity within the tumor microenvironment (TME), which plays a role in cancer invasion, metastasis, and treatment resistance. This heterogeneity contributes to therapeutic resistance. In our study, we utilized single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to comprehensively analyze gene expression at the single-cell level. This allowed us to elucidate the functional changes in the TME of esophageal cancer before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Additionally, in gastric cancer, we uncovered functional heterogeneity in NK cells within the HER2-positive group.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

食道癌は近年、術前化学療法を含む集学的治療が発展してきたが、依然予後不良な疾患でありその治療抵抗性の克服は重大な課題である。進行食道癌では標準治療となった術前化学療法によるTMEの変化をscRNA-seq解析で解明することで、従来にはなかったアプローチで新規個別化治療に繋がる可能性がある。