2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Functional intravital imaging of the breast tumor invasion process in tumor microenvironment

Research Project

Project/Area Number	23701053
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Tumor biology
Research Institution	Kyoto University
Principal Investigator	KAMIOKA Yuji 京都大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (50511424)
Project Period (FY)	2011 – 2013
Keywords	FRET / 蛍光共鳴エネルギー移動 / イメージング / 癌微小環境
Research Abstract	A variety of fluorescent biosensors based on the principle of Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) have been well used to visualize the activities of various signaling molecules in vitro. However, living tissues actually consist of many kinds of cells and cellular interactions in three-dimensional environments. Recent studies show the importance of tumor microenvironment comprising of tumor cells and stroma cells. In this project, molecular activities of ERK, PKA and Rac1 were visualized by using genetically-encoded FRET biosensors in living mice under two-photon microscope for the understanding of tumor microenvironment in vivo. We have developed transgenic mice which express FRET biosensors for ERK and PKA in this project. In addition, imaging tools, stabilizer and windows were developed to get motion-less images and keep mice alive. These results achieved by intravital imaging can progress the studies about tumor microenvironment.

(3 results)