Comprehensive epigenomic analysis of endometriosis using small cell epigenomics technology.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K19584
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 56:Surgery related to the biological and sensory functions and related fields
• Research Institution: Gunma University (2022-2023); National Center for Child Health and Development (2021)
• Principal Investigator: Hata Kenichiro 群馬大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授 (60360335)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: エピジェネティクス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Human endometrial specimens were collected, and 100s to thousands of endometrial glandular epithelium and stromal cells were purified and recovered from the lesions, and epigenomic (H3K27ac, H3K27me3, DNA methylation) and transcriptomic analyses were performed by ChILT method on a pilot basis. As a result, we found gene expression changes characteristic of the disease group and correlated epigenomic alterations. These gene expression changes and their epigenomic alterations were expected to serve as new markers of disease pathogenesis or therapeutic targets.

Free Research Field

分子遺伝学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

子宮内膜は、性周期にしたがって増殖と分化を繰り返し、妊娠成立に必須であると共に、癌や子宮内膜症などの増殖性疾患の母地にもなり、その病態解明は同疾患の治療にとどまらず広く医学・再生医学に重要な知見をもたらすと期待される。一方で,子宮内膜に限らず、少数細胞を初代培養や株化により増幅して解析すると、遺伝子発現が変化し、それに伴ってエピゲノムも元病変の状態から変化するため,可能な限り生体試料をそのまま解析することが望ましい。そこで、本研究の少数細胞エピゲノミクス技術により,培養を行わずに病変部の状態に近い細胞を解析した。これらの成果は、今後、様々な子宮内膜関連疾患の解析に有用な基盤的知見である。