2012 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Molecular targeting therapy targeted to EpCAM as cancer stem cell marker in oral cancer

Research Project

Project/Area Number	23792360
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Surgical dentistry
Research Institution	Nagasaki University
Principal Investigator	YANAMOTO Souichi 長崎大学, 大学病院, 講師 (10315260)
Project Period (FY)	2011 – 2012
Keywords	口腔癌 / EpCAM / 癌幹細胞 / マイクロRNA
Research Abstract	I focused microRNA-21 (miR-21) targeting EpCAM as a molecularrelated tumor invasion. To determine the miR-21 target, I searched for molecular gene that involved in tumor invasion by using commonly cited prediction program miRanda. In oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) cell line, SCC25 cells, I further evaluated whether miR-21 contributes to cell invasiveness by blocking its expression with a specific knock down LNA probe and validated direct target by Matrigel invasion assay and Western blot. I selected DKK2, as a Wnt/antagonist that involved in tumor invasion. miR-21 overexpression was significantly correlated with DKK2-/β-catenin- immunohistochemical phenotype. Knock down of miR-21 significantly decreases the invasion potential of SCC25 cells with up-regulated DKK2. These results suggest that miR-21 may provide potential therapeutic target for OTSCC treatment.