Functional characterization of oral cancer related microRNA and identification of novel therapeutics

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H05038
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Surgical dentistry
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Bukawa Hiroki 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 教授 (80173558)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 柳川 徹 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 准教授 (10312852) ; 正田 純一 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 教授 (90241827)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 口腔がん / microRNA / miR-205-5p / Tumor-suppressor miRNA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To identify oral cancer-associated microRNAs (miRNA), samples (tumor and normal tissue) were analyzed with microRNA microarray. Candidate miRNAs with expression levels that were significantly altered in oral cancer samples or selected from a literature review were identified as Onco-miRNA or Tumor-suppressor miRNA. We found that miR-205-5p functions as a tumor suppressor in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), that miR-205-5p directly regulates TIMP-2 expression, and that miR-205-5p suppresses pro-MMP-2’s activation by regulating the TIMP-2 expression in OSCC cells. Thus, it may be possible to use miR-205-5p to regulate specific tumor-progressive genes as a novel therapeutic approach to treating OSCC.

Free Research Field

外科系歯学