Tokai University School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Life Science
Genomic instability is a hallmark of cancer, promoting malignancy by increasing the accumulation of mutations. Major causes of genomic instability in cancer are abnormalities in DNA repair and DNA damage response (DDR). Interestingly, such abnormalities can also make cancer cells more sensitive to certain chemotherapeutic agents.
To better understand cancer and develop improved strategies for its diagnosis and treatment, our laboratory is working to:
We are particularly interested in the following pathways:
Fanconi anemia-BRCA pathway
Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare hereditary disorder characterized by a high predisposition to cancer. Numerous causative genes for FA (22 identified so far) have been discovered. Among them, BRCA1 and BRCA2 are also known as causative genes for familial breast and ovarian cancers. The protein products of these genes work together to form the FA-BRCA pathway, which plays a key role in DNA repair. This pathway is particularly involved in the repair of DNA interstrand crosslinks, protecting cells from agents such as cisplatin, a widely used DNA crosslinking anticancer drug. These drugs are widely used in the treatment of ovarian cancer, testicular cancer, and other solid tumors, and tumors with defects in the FA-BRCA pathway are especially responsive to these treatments. Research on the FA-BRCA pathway contributes to understanding the pathology of FA, improving the diagnosis and treatment of FA patients, and enhancing cancer treatment strategies involving chemotherapy.