Elucidation of G0 phase maintenance mechanism by autophagy in cancer stem cells and development of artificial virus therapy method

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25713050
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Digestive surgery
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: NAKATA Kohei 九州大学, 大学病院, 助教 (30419569)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: オートファジー / 癌幹細胞 / 膵臓癌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Traditional chemotherapy is ineffective to cancer stem cells, because these cells maintain the cell cycle in G0 phase. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the G0 phase maintenance mechanism of cancer stem cells and to develop a method to improve the treatment resistance of cancer stem cells, in order to prevent recurrence of cancer.
We reported that the autophagy inhibitor suppressed tumor growth in mice orthotopically transplanted pancreatic cancer models. Furthermore, we reported that cancer cells in the proliferation phase decreased in these tumor section, suggesting the possibility that cells in the G0 phase are increasing.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学