Investigation of a new Wnt5a signaling target in cell proliferation

• Project/Area Number: 15H06368
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: General medical chemistry
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: SHOJIMA KENSAKU 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 招へい教員 (80757211)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-08-28 – 2017-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2016)
• Budget Amount: ¥2,990,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥690,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
• Keywords: Wnt シグナル経路 / β-カテニン経路 / β-カテニン非依存性経路 / 細胞増殖 / Wnt シグナル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we identified Egr-1 and c-Fos as a candidate of new Wnt5a signaling targets. These expressions were suppressed in the heart and the liver of adult Wnt5a conditional knockout mice. Moreover, we are now under investigation how the Arl4c, which is identified as a new target by Wnt/β-catenin dependent signaling, is involved in tumorigenesis in pancreatic cancer. We found that Arl4c was expressed in more than 80 % of pancreatic cancer cases immunohistochemically. Inhibition of Arl4c expression reduced pancreatic cancer cells metastasis.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Superior mesenteric artery syndrome may be overlooked among women with functional dyspepsia (2017)
  • Author(s): Koki Kawanishi, Kensaku Shojima, Masayuki Nishimoto, Hiroko Abe, Tetsuhiro Kakimoto, Yuko Yasuda, Takeshi Hara, Jun Kato
  • Journal Title: Internal Medicine Volume: 印刷中
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] CKAP4 is involved in tumor progression as a Dickkopf1 receptor (2016)
  • Author(s): Kimura H, Fumoto K, Shojima K, Nojima S, Osugi Y, Tomihara H, Eguchi H, Shinatani Y, Endo H, Inoue M, Doki Y, Okumura M, Morii E, Kikuchi A
  • Journal Title: The Journal of Clinical Investigation Volume: 印刷中
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] Arl4c expression in pancreatic cancer promotes tumorigenesis (2016)
  • Author(s): 庄嶋健作
  • Organizer: 第75回日本癌学会学術総会
  • Place of Presentation: パシフィコ横浜
  • Year and Date: 2016-10-06
• [Presentation] Wnt5a promotes cancer cell invasion and proliferation by endocytosis-dependent and -independent mechanisms, respectively (2015)
  • Author(s): 庄嶋健作
  • Organizer: 第74回日本癌学会学術総会
  • Place of Presentation: 名古屋国際会議場
  • Year and Date: 2015-10-08
• [Remarks] 大阪大学大学院医学系研究科分子病態生化学
  • URL: http://www.med.osaka-u.ac.jp/pub/molbiobc/index.html