Mechanisms of myeloma growth in bone marrow microenvironment and development of novel therapeutic options for myeloma

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26461422
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Hematology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokushima
• Principal Investigator: ABE Masahiro 徳島大学, 大学院医歯薬学研究部(医学系), 教授 (80263812)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 骨髄腫 / 骨破壊病変 / 酸環境 / 骨形成

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Acid activates the TRPV1-PI3K-Akt survival signaling in MM cells, which further upregulates the pH sensor TRPV1 while inducing HDAC-mediated gene repression, suggesting a positive feedback loop between acid sensing and the PI3K-Akt signaling. Cocultures of MM cells with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) or osteoclasts (OCs) activate the TGF-β-activated kinase-1 (TAK-1)-Pim-2 pathway in these cells to enhance MM tumor progression and bone destruction. TAK-1 inhibition not only directly suppressed MM cell growth but also impaired MM cell adhesion to BMSCs to reduce BMSC support for MM cell growth. In addition, TAK-1 inhibition was able to restore osteoblastogenesis suppressed by MM cells and abolish RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. Thus, TAK1 may become an efficacious therapeutic target in MM to suppress tumor burden while restoring bone.

Free Research Field

血液内科