Investigation into mechanisms of cancer aggressiveness by epithelial cells undergoing EMT

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24390419
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Pathobiological dentistry/Dental radiology
• Research Institution: University of Yamanashi
• Principal Investigator: SAITOH Masao 山梨大学, 大学院総合研究部, 教授 (90345041)
• Research Collaborator: ENDO Kaori ; SAKAMOTO Kei ; ISHII Hiroki ; HOSHI Yuta ; FUKAGAWA Akihiko ; FURUYA Satoshi ; MIYAZAWA Keiji ; KAWASAKI Tomonori
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: EMT / TGF-beta / がん細胞 / シグナル伝達

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I performed experiments based on "Investigation into mechanisms of cancer aggressiveness by epithelial cells undergoing EMT". Using DNA microarray analyses, I explored several molecular marker proteins which are specifically expressed in epithelial cells undergoing EMT. I found that the marker proteins, Ret and Pai2, are expressed in aggressive cancer cells, whereas the marker protein (ITGA3) is in the most aggressive cells. However, ITGA3 was also expressed in fibroblast or mesenchymal cells in cancer microenvironment, as determined by immunohistochemical analyses. These findings have been published in articles and the details,includind gene Z, will be investigated by me and my collaborators.

Free Research Field

分子病理学