Development of the new therapy for cervical cancer and cancer stem cells identification of cancer stem cells

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24592511
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Obstetrics and gynecology
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: MIZUNO MIKA 名古屋大学, 医学部附属病院, 病院講師 (50588837)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SHIBATA Kiyosumi 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科, 准教授 (90335026)
• Research Collaborator: KAJIYAMA Hiroaki 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科, 准教授 (00345886) ; KUMAZAWA Shoko
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: がん幹細胞 / 放射線治療 / 子宮頸癌 / アポトーシス / 放射線耐性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Radiotherapy is effective for cervical cancer. However, prior findings indicate that therapeutic failure for these tumors is often associated with the development of radioresistance. We aimed to investigate the possibility of an association between a stem cell-like characters and radiation-resistance in human cervical cancer cells(HeLa). Side-population cells (SP) and non-SP cells (NSP) in HeLa were isolated using flow cytometry with Hoechst 33342 efflux. SP showed a higher expression of cancer stem markers than NSP. SP tended to form spheroids and showed a higher level of tumorigenicity. Furthermore, nude mice performed by subcutaneous injection of SP showed greater tumor growth compared with NSP. SP showed a higher tumorigenicity and lower apoptotic potential than NSP, leading to radiation-tolerance. SP in HeLa showed higher-level stem cell-like properties and radioresistance than NSP. SP might be valuable for new therapeutic approaches for radiation-resistant cervical cancer.

Free Research Field

婦人科腫瘍学