Development of a diagnostic method for epigenetic posttranslational modifications of histone using fluorescence imaging

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24300336
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Tumor diagnosis
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: GONDA Kohsuke 東北大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (80375435)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): OHUCHI Noriaki 東北大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授 (90203710) ; TADA Hiroshi 東北大学病院, 講師 (50436127)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): WATANABE Mika 東北大学病院, 准教授 (20292344)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ナノバイオ / バイオテクノロジー / がん / エピゲノム / イメージング / 蛍光 / 免疫染色

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Epigenetic post translational mutations plays an important role of tumorigenesis. To estimate the degree of modification level of histone methylation mutation, immunohistochemistry (IHC) using 3,3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB) (IHC-DAB) has been used. However, because the quantitative sensitivity of IHC-DAB is low, an improvement of IHC is desired. In this study, to develop a diagnostic method of histone methylation in breast cancer tissues with fluorescent signals, we developed IHC method using fluorescent nano-particle quantum dots (QDs). By immunostainig cultured breast cancer cells with QDs, we succeeded in detecting a statistically significant difference in the histone methylation between cancer cell lines. Moreover, the IHC-QDs results in cancer tissues demonstrated that the QDs were able to widely-detect histone modifications at low and high level. This novel IHC method may be expected to contribute to the diagnosis of various epigenetic post translational mutations in cancer.

Free Research Field

医工学