Dissecting molecular mechanisms mediating human breast cancer metastasis

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24300332
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Tumor biology
• Research Institution: Juntendo University
• Principal Investigator: orimo akira 順天堂大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (70275866)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SAITO Mitsue 順天堂大学, 医学部, 教授 (30205679) ; HORIMOTO Yoshiya 順天堂大学, 医学部, 准教授 (40424246)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 癌微小環境 / 癌転移 / CAFｓ / 細胞接着

Outline of Final Research Achievements

CAFs predominantly present within the tumor-associated stroma. However, roles of CAFs on tumor malignancy haven’t fully understood yet at molecular levels. The invasion-metastatic cascade is composed of a series of multi-step processes and epi/genetic alterations are believed to be largely responsible for ability of cancer cells to metastasize. Recent emerging evidence also supports the notion that cancer metastasis depends on non-cell autonomous effect of nearby stromal cells. Here we show that CAFs induce highly metastatic ability into barely metastatic breast cancer cells via conferring self-stimulating autocrine signaling mediated by some cell adhesion molecules. These factors importantly promote cell-cell adhesions in carcinoma cells that can facilitate their metastatic dissemination and associated with poorer outcome in breast cancer patients. Taken together, these findings strongly suggest crucial roles of CAFs on promotion of tumor malignancy.

Free Research Field

腫瘍生物学