Integrative study for functional analyses of stem cell maintenance factors and visualization of stem cells

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25221303
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: General physiology
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Nakayama Keiichi 九州大学, 生体防御医学研究所, 主幹教授 (80291508)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 中山 啓子 東北大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (60294972) ; 白根 道子 九州大学, 生体防御医学研究所, 准教授 (90398082)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): GOTOH Yukiko 東京大学, 大学院薬学系研究科, 教授 (70252525)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-05-31 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 幹細胞 / 細胞周期 / p57

Outline of Final Research Achievements

On the basis of our previous studies, we found that 1) low proliferation, 2) low metabolism, 3) low oxidation, which are attributable to p57, Fbw7, and Fbxl5, respectively, are hallmarks of tissue stem cells. The aim of this study is to elucidate the biological significance of p57, Fbw7, and Fbxl5 for stem cell function and maintenance. During the course of this study, we noticed that p57 is the most restricted marker for stem cells. We thus traced the lineage of p57-positive cells in mice, and found that p57 shows a stem cell-specific expression pattern in hematopoietic, neural, and intestinal stem cells. Furthermore, ablation of p57 gene in stem cells impaired the function and maintenance of stem cells with the cell cycle being aberrantly activated. These results thus suggested that cell cycle arrest induced by p57 CDK inhibitor is essential for stem cell function and maintenance. We also demonstrated that p57 is also required for cancer stem cells.

Free Research Field

分子生物学