Tumor-induced neural plasticity on the parietal peritoneum in a mouse model of peritoneal dissemination

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25860432
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Pain science
• Research Institution: National Cancer Center Japan
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Masami 国立研究開発法人国立がん研究センター, 研究所, 研究員 (80434182)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 痛み / がん / 神経障害

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Patients with tumors involving bone destruction and nerve damage are particularly likely to experience severe pain. Although guidelines for pain management are available, the routine use of this treatment does not always alleviate this kind of pain. In this study, I developed a mouse model for abdominal pain caused by cancerous peritonitis using SOX10-Venus transgenic mice. Invaded tumor cells directly disrupt Venus-positive (Schwann cells) nerve fibers on the parietal peritoneum. Venus-positive nerve fibers under the tumor nodule express p75, the immature Schwann cell marker, suggesting that Schwann cells were dedifferentiated into immature Schwann cells by tumor-induced nerve injury. c-Jun is a negative regulator of myelination. Treatment of c-jun inhibitor produced a significant reduction in the abdominal pain-like behavior under peritoneal carcinomatosis. These findings suggest that blockade of dedifferentiation of Schwann cells may be useful for the treating this type of pain.

Free Research Field

薬理学