Dissecting genetic basis for competitive regulation of tumorigenesis

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24300331
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Tumor biology
• Research Institution: Kyoto University (2013-2014); Kobe University (2012)
• Principal Investigator: IGAKI Tatsushi 京都大学, 生命科学研究科, 教授 (00467648)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: がん / 細胞間コミュニケーション / 細胞競合 / ショウジョウバエ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In Drosophila imaginal epithelium, clones of cells deficient for apico-basal polarity are actively eliminated from the tissue as “losers” of cell competition. During cancer development and progression, such loser cells would acquire further mutations that convert them from “losers” to “winners”. In this study, we found that JNK-mediated regulation of the Hippo pathway component Warts plays a important role in the loser-to-winner switching of the oncogenic mutant cells. Furthermore, we searched through a Drosophila genetic screen for genes involved in the loser-to-winner switching and identified a cell-surface ligand and its receptor, as well as a series of genes involved in neuronal axon guidance, as responsible genes for the competitive regulation of tumorigenesis.

Free Research Field

発生遺伝学、腫瘍学