Detection of radiation-induced oncogenic fusion in primary thyroid follicular cells

• Project/Area Number: 16K12597
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Risk sciences of radiation and chemicals
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: SUZUKI Keiji 長崎大学, 原爆後障害医療研究所, 准教授 (00196809)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2017)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,640,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥840,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
• Keywords: 放射線 / ゲノム / Driver変異 / がん / 甲状腺 / ゲノム変異 / ドライバー変異 / 遺伝子融合 / 融合遺伝子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident, unexpected numbers of childhood thyroid cancers have been diagnosed during the mass ultrasound thyroid screening. In order to estimate possible association between childhood thyroid cancer and radiation exposure, it is indispensable for identify radiation signatures in those cancers. The aim of this study is to establish an experimental system, by which gene fusions creating oncogenic driver mutations are able to be detected. Considering the kinase fusion mutation is the most prevailing gene fusions in childhood thyroid cancers, differential RT-PCR technique using the primer pairs mapped on 5' region of RET and 3' kinase domain has been applied.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Identification of Three Novel Fusion Oncogenes, SQSTM1/NTRK3, AFAP1L2/RET, and PPFIBP2/RET, in Thyroid Cancers of Young Patients in Fukushima. (2017)
  • Author(s): Iyama K, Matsuse M, Mitsutake N, Rogounovitch T, Saenko V, Suzuki K, Ashizawa M, Ookouchi C, Suzuki S, Mizunuma H, Fukushima T, Suzuki S, Yamashita S.
  • Journal Title: Thyroid Volume: 印刷中 Issue: 6 Pages: 811-818
  • DOI: 10.1089/thy.2016.0673
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Plasticity of thyroid follicular cells and radiation carcinogenesis (2017)
  • Author(s): Keiji Suzuki
  • Organizer: Radiation Protection Week
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] 小児甲状腺癌のDriver変異に残る放射線痕跡 (2017)
  • Author(s): 鈴木啓司
  • Organizer: 第59回日本放射線影響学会
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 小児甲状腺がんのDriver変異に残る放射線痕跡 (2016)
  • Author(s): 鈴木啓司
  • Organizer: 第59回日本放射線影響学会
  • Place of Presentation: アステールプラザ（広島県・広島市）
  • Year and Date: 2016-10-26
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Plasticity of thyroid follicular cells and radiation-carcinogenesis (2016)
  • Author(s): Keiji Suzuki
  • Organizer: Radiation Protection Week
  • Place of Presentation: Oxford（イギリス）
  • Year and Date: 2016-09-22
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Remarks] http://www-sdc.med.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/drms/
• [Remarks] 長崎大学原爆後障害医療研究所
  • URL: http://www-sdc.med.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/index-sjis.html