中外製薬がん幹細胞の細胞株樹立に成功、世界初

(2012年10月19日 )中外製薬は19日、がんの再発・転移に関係すると考えられている大腸がん幹細胞の性質を持つ細胞を、培養可能な細胞株として樹立することに世界で初めて成功したと発表した。さらに、この幹細胞に発現するタンパク質に結合する抗体を作製し、幹細胞を移植した転移モデルマウスに投与したところ、転移が抑制されることも発見した。

Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. announced Oct. 19 a major step forward in understanding recurrence and metastasis in cancer, as well as how cancer cells become resistant to drugs. THE ASAHI SHIMBUN October 19, 2012Chugai said it has achieved a world first in establishing stable cells that have the characteristics of colon cancer stem cells. Such stem cells are thought to be involved in the recurrence and metastasis of cancer.Using these cells, Chugai discovered that cancer stem cells can change to non-proliferative, drug-resistant cells when an anticancer drug is administered and regain their proliferative properties when the drug is discontinued. These results support the hypothesis that cancer stem cells are able to resist cancer therapies by alternating their nature in order to survive.In their research, Chugai also found that an antibody that binds to a protein on these cancer stem cells could possibly inhibit metastases, giving hope for a new type of anticancer drug that targets cancer stem cells.This research was performed through the collaboration of PharmaLogicals Research Pte. in Singapore, Forerunner Pharma Research Co. in Tokyo, and the Research Division of Chugai, and was conducted in cooperation with academia in Japan and overseas.The results were published on the electronic version of Stem Cells, a scientific journal in the United States, on Oct. 18.