Significance of Lamins as nuclear stiffness maintenance protein on ovarian cancer invasion and metstasis

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K09533
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56040:Obstetrics and gynecology-related
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: SAIO MASANAO 群馬大学, 大学院保健学研究科, 教授 (40242721)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 西島 良美 群馬大学, 大学院保健学研究科, 講師 (10710733) ; 小林 さやか 群馬大学, 大学院保健学研究科, 助教 (80765694)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: Lamin / Emerin / 卵巣癌 / コンピュータ支援画像解析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Several studies have been conducted on changes in the expression of the nuclear membrane protein Lamin in malignant tumors, but the results vary depending on the organ being studied. In the first year, we examined the four major epithelial tumors of the ovary in the primary lesions. In the second year, we compared the expression levels of three types of Lamin in ovarian serous adenocarcinoma in the primary lesions and metastatic lesions, and in the final year, we examined clear cell carcinoma for Lamins and Emerin using the same method as in the second year. We found that the expression patterns of Lamin and Emerin differed in each cancer, and that there were differences in the expression patterns between the primary lesions and lymph node metastases in serous carcinoma, and two English papers were published during the period.

Free Research Field

病理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は，核内の蛋白の研究が病理学的にはなかなか進んでいない所を卵巣の4大癌（漿液性癌，明細胞癌，類内膜癌，粘液癌）について，主に核膜の裏打ちをして核の剛性を維持しているLaminやLaminと結合している核膜蛋白の一つで核形状の維持に関与しているEmerinについて検討し，4つの腫瘍で発現パターンが異なり，核形状との関係性もさまざまであることが理解できた。また2年目の研究では核の形態の維持だけではなく，Laminの発現が漿液性癌の形態的変化にも寄与していることを示すことができた。すなわち病理形態学的な腫瘍構造の特徴に核ラミナ及び核膜蛋白が寄与することを示唆しており，意義深い。