Interaction analysis of breast cancer organoids and pericytes to design novel strategies

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K20807
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0901:Oncology and related fields
• Research Institution: Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research
• Principal Investigator: IESATO Asumi 公益財団法人がん研究会, NEXT-Gankenプログラム がん細胞多様性解明プロジェクト, クリニカルリサーチフェロー (00646234)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 乳癌 / リンパ管侵襲 / リンパ管内皮細胞 / 細胞間相互作用

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) were isolated from surgical specimens of 20 patients with primary breast cancer. In the tube formation assay, significant tube formation was observed on BME-coated dishes. In the proliferation assay, the proliferative capacity increased under VEGF-C stimulation. RNA sequencing revealed high expression of LEC markers (LYVE1, FLT4, KDR, FLT1, PECAM1, PDPN) and low expression of epithelial cell markers. These results confirmed that the isolated LECs possessed the known characteristics of LECs. There were differences in gene expression between LECs derived from patients with lymphatic invasion and lymph node metastasis positive and those from patients negative for lymphatic invasion and lymph node metastasis.

Free Research Field

腫瘍生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

乳癌患者由来LECsは、in vitroやin vivoの実験、トランスクリプトーム、エピゲノム、メタボローム解析など、様々な用途に用いることができる。LECsと乳癌オルガノイドの共培養ではLECsの変化が観察され治療標的となる可能性が示唆される。