Enhancement of invasiveness of cancer cells by hypoxia-induced expression of HOX genes

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26460466
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Experimental pathology
• Research Institution: Health Sciences University of Hokkaido (2016-2017); Hokkaido University (2014-2015)
• Principal Investigator: HAMADA Jun-ichi 北海道医療大学, 看護福祉学部, 教授 (50192703)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): IIZASA Hisashi 島根大学, 医学部, 准教授 (80306662)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: がん転移 / ホメオボックス遺伝子 / HOX / 浸潤 / 低酸素

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have been demonstrating that dysregulated expression of HOX genes, which play an important role in giving cells positional information, influences invasive and metastatic ability of cancer cells. In this study, we revealed that hypoxia-induced expression of HOXD3 gene, one of the HOX genes, in cancer cells enhanced invasive and metastatic ability, and suggested that the cancer cells overexpressing HOXD3 had an advantage to adapt themselves to hypoxic condition.

Free Research Field

腫瘍生物学