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Molecular Biotherapy

Update : 2020-04-13

Overview

Division of Molecular Biotherapy has been established in 1992, in order to develop novel cancer therapeutics that is based on molecular biology. The current lab, headed by Dr. Hiroyuki Seimiya, Ph.D. since 2005, focuses on several topics as the therapeutic targets (e.g., telomeres, which are closely associated with unlimited growth of cancer cells, and cancer stem cells, which are resistant to chemo/radiotherapy and cause relapse of the disease). They have been doing basic and applied studies to give new insights into cancer cell biology and to develop new drugs that can cure cancers.

Projects

  1. Telomeres and cancer cell immortality
  2. Cell regulation by poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation
  3. Cancer stem cells as therapeutic targets
  4. Lipid metabolism in cancer
  5. Conquest of hormone-refractory prostate cancers

Publications

Publications

Jang MK, Mashima T, Seimiya H.
Tankyrase inhibitors target colorectal cancer stem cells via AXIN-dependent downregulation of c-KIT tyrosine kinase.
Mol. Cancer Ther, 19: 765-776 (2020)
Mizutani A, Yashiroda Y, Muramatsu Y, Yoshida H, Chikada T, Tsumura T, Okue M, Shirai F, Fukami T, Yoshida M, Seimiya H.
RK-287107, a potent and specific tankyrase inhibitor, blocks colorectal cancer cell growth in a preclinical model.
Cancer Sci, 109: 4003-4014 (2018)
Featured in "Issue Highlights"
Fujiwara C, Muramatsu Y, Nishii M, Tokunaka K, Tahara H, Ueno M, Yamori T, Sugimoto Y, Seimiya H.
Cell-based chemical fingerprinting identifies telomeres and lamin A as modifiers of DNA damage response in cancer cells.
Sci Rep, 8: 14827 (2018)
Nakamura T, Okabe S, Yoshida H, Iida K, Ma Y, Sasaki S, Yamori T, Shin-ya K, Nakano I, Nagasawa K, Seimiya H.
Targeting glioma stem cells in vivo by a G-quadruplex-stabilizing synthetic macrocyclic hexaoxazole.
Sci Rep, 7: 3605 (2017)
Ohishi T, Yoshida H, Katori M, Migita T, Muramatsu Y, Miyake M, Ishikawa Y, Saiura A, Iemura SI, Natsume T, Seimiya H.
Tankyrase-binding protein TNKS1BP1 regulates actin cytoskeleton rearrangement and cancer cell invasion.
Cancer Res, 77: 2328-2338 (2017)
Tanaka N, Mashima T, Mizutani A, Sato A, Aoyama A, Gong B, Yoshida H, Muramatsu Y, Nakata K, Matsuura M, Katayama R, Nagayama S, Fujita N, Sugimoto Y, Seimiya H.
APC mutations as a potential biomarker for sensitivity to tankyrase inhibitors in colorectal cancer.
Mol Cancer Ther, 16, 752-762 (2017)
Hirashima K, Seimiya H.
Telomeric repeat-containing RNA/G-quadruplex-forming sequences cause genome-wide alteration of gene expression in human cancer cells in vivo.
Nucleic Acids Res, 43, 2022-2032 (2015)
Mashima T, Soma-Nagae T, Migita T, Kinoshita R, Iwamoto A, Yuasa T, Yonese J, Ishikawa Y, Seimiya H.
TRIB1 supports prostate tumorigenesis and tumor-propagating cell survival by regulation of endoplasmic reticulum chaperone expression.
Cancer Res, 74, 4888-4897 (2014)
Featured in Science-Business eXchange, BioCentury and Nature Publishing Group
Ohishi T, Muramatsu Y, Yoshida H, Seimiya H.
TRF1 ensures the centromeric function of Aurora-B and proper chromosome segregation.
Mol Cell Biol, 34, 2464-2478 (2014)
Listed in “Most-Read Articles” during the month
Hirashima K, Migita T, Sato S, Muramatsu Y, Ishikawa Y, Seimiya H.
Telomere length influences cancer cell differentiation in vivo.
Mol Cell Biol, 33, 2988–2995 (2013)
Featured in “ASM (American Society for Microbiology) Newsroom”
Seimiya H, Muramatsu Y, Ohishi T, Tsuruo T.
Tankyrase 1 as a target for telomere-directed molecular cancer therapeutics.
Cancer Cell, 7, 25-37 (2005)
Featured in “Previews” in Cancer Cell and “Research Highlights” in Nature

Contact

Hiroyuki SEIMIYA, Ph.D. (Chief)
Division of Molecular Biotherapy, Room 407-1
Cancer Chemotherapy Center
Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research
3-8-31 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8550, Japan
Tel : +81-3-3570-0466 Fax : +81-3-3570-0484
E-mail：hseimiya@jfcr.or.jp

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