Identification of gene sets related with metastasis by detecting circulating tumor cells

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K15916
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 53010:Gastroenterology-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Ishibashi Rei 東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (50843299)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 循環腫瘍細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

As seen in drug decisions based on genetic analysis using oncopanels, cancer treatment is rapidly shifting to treatment based on information on gene mutations and expression within cancer cells. Therefore, it is thought that a method for easily and frequently acquiring genetic information of cancer cells will be essential in the future. One of the methods is to capture circulating tumor cells, but in this study, we will not only capture CTCs, but also conduct genetic analysis research to identify gene mutations and expressed gene sets that correlate with the induction of distant metastasis in colorectal cancer. We identified the molecules responsible for colorectal cancer distant metastasis through functional analysis, and demonstrated the clinical utility of CTC capture and genetic analysis.

Free Research Field

消化器内科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ヒト大腸癌患者で捕捉される循環腫瘍細胞の遺伝子発現状況の解析と、その後の臨床情報とを統合して解析を行うことで、遠隔転移に真に関わる分子を同定できることを証明しえた。さらに、その機能解析を実験的に行って生物学的な機能解明に貢献し、CTCの捕捉と遺伝子解析の有用性について、検体・基礎的手法・統合解析・臨床情報といったものが高度に組み合わさって初めてできた研究であり、それだけでもオリジナリティーが高く、CTC研究分野・Personalized medicine の促進にもブレークスルーをもたらしうると考えられる。