Basic Research on Gastrointestinal Cancer Stem Cell Targeting Therapy with Heavy Ion Beams

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24591858
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Radiation science
• Research Institution: National Institute of Radiological Sciences
• Principal Investigator: SAI SEI 独立行政法人放射線医学総合研究所, 重粒子医科学センター, 主任研究員 (20342735)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KAMIJO Takehiko 埼玉県立がんセンター, 臨床腫瘍研究所, 所長 (90262708)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 粒子線生物学 / 膵臓がん / がん幹細胞 / DNA損傷と修復 / 分子病理学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To elucidate whether a carbon ion beam in combination with gemcitabine has advantages over X-ray in targeting putative pancreatic cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) in vitro and in vivo. The number of colonies and spheroids formed from CSCs after carbon ion beam was significantly reduced compared to after X-ray irradiation, and they were extremely highly suppressed when carbon ion beam combined with gemcitabine. Expressions of multiple cell death-related genes were remarkably highly induced, and large numbers of γH2AX foci in CSCs were formed after carbon ion beam combined with gemcitabine. The highly expressed CSC markers were significantly inhibited after 30 Gy of carbon ion beam and almost lost after 25 Gy carbon ion beam combined with 50 mg/kg gemcitabine. In conclusion, a carbon ion beam combined with gemcitabine has superior potential to kill pancreatic CSCs via irreparable clustered DSB compared to a carbon ion alone or X-rays combined with gemcitabine.

Free Research Field

放射線生物学