Development of new treatment for liver cancer by the functional analysis of the hepatoma-derived growth factor and its receptor, nucleolin

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K09383
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Gastroenterology
• Research Institution: Hyogo Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Enomoto Hirayuki 兵庫医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (40449880)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 西口 修平 兵庫医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (10192246)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 肝癌由来増殖因子 / 肝細胞癌 / microRNA / Nucleolin

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We discovered a new factor involved in the growth of liver cancer, hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF). In this study, we found that the nucleokin (NCL), a functional receptor of HDGF, was expressed in hepatoma cells. In addition, reduction of HDGF suppressed the growth of hepatoma cells through the mechanism which was different from the sorafenib treatment. In addition, we examined the changes in the microRNA expressions in response to the HDGF administration, and identified the microRNAs that commonly increased or decreased in two different hepatoma cell lines. These results provide new findings regarding the growth of liver cancer and are expected to contribute to develop a new treatment strategy for the liver cancer.

Free Research Field

消化器病学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究ではHDGFが新たな肝癌治療の標的となりうること、またHDGFの投与で変動するmicroRNAを新たに同定した。これらの知見は、肝癌増殖機序解明と治療法開発への貢献が期待できる。またHDGFは肝癌以外にも様々な臓器における癌増殖への関与が報告されている。したがって本研究の結果は、多種類の癌の増殖機序解明へつながることも期待できる。