Autophagy-mediated cell death in cancer initiating cells of oral squamous cell carcinoma

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25670802
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Pathobiological dentistry/Dental radiology
• Research Institution: Fukuoka Dental College
• Principal Investigator: OHNO Jun 福岡歯科大学, 歯学部, 講師 (10152208)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KAWAGUCHI Minoru 福岡歯科大学, 口腔歯学部, 講師 (10122780) ; FUKUSHIMA Tadao 福岡歯科大学, 口腔歯学部, 教授 (80084250)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 口腔扁平上皮癌 / ALDH1 / cancer initiating cells / ConA / オートファジー / アポトーシス / HSC-3

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we examined characteristics of ALDH1 positive oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells and autophagy-mediated apoptosis in OSCC cells. The clinicopathological results showed that elevated ALDH1 expression correlated with local recurrence. In in vitro experiments, the percentage of cells exhibiting ALDH1 enzymatic activity significantly increased among cisplatin-survival cells, suggesting that ALDH1 expression contributes to the characteristics of cancer initiating cells in OSCC. HSC-3 treated with ConA showed an internalization of ConA in the cytoplasm and an induction of autophagy. Autophagy-induced HSC-3 showed the high percentage of Annexin V expression and an increased expression of cleaved PARP, cleaved caspase-3, and Bax, known as apoptosis markers, by western blotting assay. From these results, we suggest that ConA-treated OSCC cells induce the autophagy-mediated apoptosis.

Free Research Field

口腔病理学