Development of effective oncolytic virus for

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K10130
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57060:Surgical dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: YASUDA Motoaki 北海道大学, 歯学研究院, 准教授 (90239765)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 東野 史裕 北海道情報大学, 医療情報学部, 教授 (50301891)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: アデノウイルス / 腫瘍溶解ウイルス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death, but in recent decades, research has led to the discovery of cancer stem cells and the elucidation of survival strategies by cancer cells that deceive immune checkpoints, resulting in clearer targets in cancer treatment. Oncolytic adenovirus is one of the promising cancer therapies, but its efficacy against treatment-resistant tumor cells such as cancer stem cells has not been clear. We found that OCT3/4 and SOX2, necessary to maintain the properties of cancer stem cells, suppress adenovirus proliferation, and identified gene sequences that can be introduced into adenoviruses to overcome such suppression.

Free Research Field

微生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

がん幹細胞の制御はがん克服における大きな課題のひとつであり、アデノウイルスは有望な治療手段の候補である。本研究で見出した遺伝子配列はがん幹細胞におけるアデノウイルスの増殖を活性化し、我々がこれまでに開発してきたがん細胞特異的な増殖を可能にする遺伝子配列と併用することにより、よりピンポイントに効果的ながん細胞の除去を可能にするものと考えられる。