Study of mtDNA in cancer cells using mitochondrial DNA replaced cell technology

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K15526
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 50010:Tumor biology-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Sawada Takeshi 京都大学, 医学研究科, 特定講師 (90745100)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: mitochondrial DNA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) in cancer development by using our original technology, Mitochondrial DNA Replaced Cell (MirC) technology. As a result of comparative study on the cell proliferation ability of MirC generated from various cancer cells and normal cells, we found that the mtDNA isolated from a high metastasis model of a certain cancer cell line and replaced with the original cell line increased the proliferation ability of the original cell line. As a result of our investigation, we consider that the factors that affected proliferative ability do not originate from mtDNA mutation. Therefore, we would like to examine the factors that affected cell proliferative ability by mtDNA substitution from various perspectives, and if the factors can be identified, we would like to verify whether they can be considered as potential therapeutic targets.

Free Research Field

Translational Research

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

がん化におけるミトコンドリアゲノム(mtDNA)の影響を、既存の解析方法とは異なる全く新しい方法で検証を進めた研究であり、その研究成果は独自性が高く学術的意義は高いと考えられる。今後の展開によっては、がんの悪性度に関与する因子の特定につながる可能性もあり、その場合は新たな創薬ターゲットとなり得るため社会的意義も大きい研究に発展する可能性があると考えられる。