The role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Anigogenesis regulated by NOTCH signaling

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26861543
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Morphological basic dentistry
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Kayamori Kou 東京医科歯科大学, 医歯(薬)学総合研究科, 助教 (10569841)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: NOTCH3 / CAF / Angiogenesis / Oral Cancer

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of NOTCH signaling in the tumor microenvironment in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Immunohistochemical study using human OSCC samples revealed that about one third of OSCCs showed NOTCH3 expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and this NOTCH3 expression significantly correlated with tumor-size. Immunohistochemical and morphometric analysis using human OSCC samples demonstrated that NOTCH3 expression in CAFs significantly correlated with micro-vessel density in tumor stroma, and in vitro angiogenesis assay showed that OSCC cells promoted tube formation by HUVEC dependent on NOTCH3-expression in human dermal fibroblasts. Moreover, NOTCH3 expression in CAFs was related to poor prognosis of the OSCC patients. These results provided the possibility of NOTCH3-targted therapeutic approach in OSCC treatment.

Free Research Field

口腔病理学