Research groups at Kobe University and the National Cancer Center Research Institute have investigated the response of liver cancer cells treated with anticancer drugs of different concentrations, and succeeded in identifying genes that control cell senescence by comparing gene expression levels. bottom.It is expected to develop new anti-cancer drugs and use them as anti-aging drugs.
When DNA is significantly damaged, it exhibits two different cellular responses: apoptosis (planned cell death) and cellular senescence (irreversible cell arrest).This is said to be a cancer prevention mechanism provided in living organisms.Cancer treatment with radiation or anticancer drugs also aims at the disappearance of cancer cells by apoptosis.However, changes in cancer cells due to treatment cause the appearance of senescent cells, which secrete various proteins, promote the growth and malignant transformation of surrounding cancer cells, and may lead to cancer recurrence. Will be done.
So far, the research group has found that low-concentration treatment of cancer cells with anticancer drugs induces cellular senescence, and high-concentration treatment induces apoptosis.In anti-cancer drug treatment, the blood flow carries the drug to the cancer tissue, so the difference in distance from the blood vessels causes a difference in the concentration of the anti-cancer drug, and it is thought that senescent cells appear in the low concentration range.Therefore, it is said that a dramatic therapeutic effect can be expected if this cell aging can be inhibited.
This time, the research group induces senescent cells and apoptotic cells by treating liver cancer cells with anticancer drugs (etoposide) with different concentrations. Comprehensively compare gene expression levels using the DNA microarray method, which is a method for measuring gene expression levels.As a result, it was confirmed that some genes act on the execution of cellular senescence.
In the future, we can expect the development of highly effective new anticancer drugs by developing drugs that suppress the activity of these genes.In addition, since the accumulation of aging cells is said to be the cause of aging, it has the potential to greatly contribute to the development of anti-aging products that suppress cell aging.
