Pharmacotherapy

Research Project

Examination of the molecular mechanisms underlying anticancer drug resistance and the development of new anticancer drugs that target molecules involved in drug resistance
Examination of the molecular mechanisms of tumor metastasis and the development of new anti-metastatic drugs that target signal molecules.
The development of molecular targeting strategies to generate novel anticancer drugs.

Introduction

Examination of the molecular mechanism underlying anticancer drug resistance and development of new anticancer drug targeting resistant molecules.
The establishment and progression of cancer involves multi-step processes that involve the alteration of the structure and function of various genes, including oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes.
Even though initial chemotherapy treatments are mostly successful, drug resistance often develops during cancer therapy, due to a change in the nature of the tumor.
One possible factor is the presence of variant multiple drug-resistant (MDR) genotypes, which have been associated with differential expression of the multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1) gene and its protein product, P-glycoprotein, which is also known as the ATP-binding cassette transporter B1 (ABCB1).
In addition, an overexpression of anti-apoptotic gene family members is associated with apoptosis inhibition and chemotherapy resistance.
Thus, it is important to identify the mechanism by which cancer cells develop resistance.
Our laboratory has studied the molecular mechanism of anticancer drug resistance, with a focus on the development of drugs that target the molecules involved in this resistance.
We also investigate the mechanisms of action of novel anti-cancer drugs and their potential clinical application.