Dead cell-mediated activation mechanisms in oral cancer: Exploring the changes in lipid quality by dead cell phagocytosis

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K09856
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57020:Oral pathobiological science-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: Yamazaki Manabu 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 准教授 (10547516)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 阿部 達也 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 助教 (70634856) ; 丸山 智 新潟大学, 医歯学総合病院, 講師 (30397161) ; 冨原 圭 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 教授 (70404738) ; 泉 健次 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 教授 (80242436) ; 田沼 順一 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 教授 (20305139)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 脂質 / 死細胞 / 口腔がん

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Cancer cells have a different lipid metabolism than normal cells, indicating the importance of understanding lipid quality (lipid composition) in cancer. We have previously investigated the possibility that the phenomenon of dead cell phagocytosis between oral cancer cells may contribute to tumor progression. In this study, we have shown that dead cell phagocytosis increases cholesterol amounts in cancer cells and that the increased cholesterol promotes polarity formation and cell migration ability of oral cancer cells, inducing plasma membrane localization of the cholesterol-binding protein caveolin-1 in the process.

Free Research Field

口腔病理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

死細胞によって誘導される口腔扁平上皮癌の活性化機序として、貪食した死細胞に由来するコレステロールの関与が明らかとなった。本研究の成果は、死細胞貪食機序ならびにコレステロール代謝をターゲットとした新規制癌治療法の創発につながる可能性がある。