Development of novel treatment for pancreatic cancer to break through the fibrotic barrier by combining pancreatic stellate cell inhibitors with nanoparticles

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K07661
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 50020:Tumor diagnostics and therapeutics-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: EGAMI Takuya 九州大学, 医学研究院, 共同研究員 (40507787)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 堀岡 宏平 九州大学, 医学研究院, 共同研究員 (10783699) ; 仲田 興平 九州大学, 大学病院, 講師 (30419569) ; 池永 直樹 九州大学, 大学病院, 助教 (90759755)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: ナノ粒子 / 膵星細胞 / 膵癌 / 間質 / 治療抵抗性 / 薬剤送達

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), which are stromal cells in pancreatic cancer, are thought to promote cancer cell invasion and metastasis through cancer-stromal interactions, and are also thought to be involved in impaired drug delivery and therapeutic resistance. In this study, we developed a novel pancreatic cancer drug targeting the pancreatic cancer stroma by combining a PSC inhibitor with a nanoparticle-based drug delivery system (DDS). First, Nano-ICG was shown to selectively accumulate in pancreatic tumor tissue for a longer period of time than ICG, and the DDS encapsulated chloroquine, an autophagy inhibitor of PSC, was successfully administered to enhance the anti-tumor effect of the anti-cancer drug.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、Nano-ICGにPSCのオートファジー阻害剤であるクロロキンを封入し投与することで、抗癌剤の抗腫瘍効果を高めることに成功した。さらに、Nano-ICG は、播種性結節に高い集積を示した。PDACと診断された患者の多くは転移をきたしていることを考えると、今回開発した薬剤が膵癌治療に極めて有益であり社会的意義が大きいと考えられる。