Mouse induced pluripotent stem (miPS) cell microenvironment generates epithelial-mesenchymal transition in mouse Lewis lung cancer (LLC) cells

February 20, 2014

The research group from Okayama University Graduate school of Natural Science and Technology has shown that the mouse induced pluripotent stem (miPS) cell microenvironment generates epithelial-mesenchymal transition in mouse Lewis lung cancer (LLC) cells.

The findings were published online January 15, 2014 in the journal of American Journal of Cancer Research.

The previous study showed that the microenvironment of the cancer cells generates cancer stem cells, and that the environment of cancer stem cells is maintained by their differentiated progeny cells. In this study, the result demonstrated that miPS cells secrete factors that can convert the epithelia phenotype of LLC cells to a mesenchymal phenotype, and that, in turn, can promote tumorigenisity, migration, and invasion.

The new findings could lead to further cancer research and to the development of novel anti cancer agents.


This study was supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.


Contact Information:
Mototaka Senda, Ph.D.
US Representative
Intellectual Property Office, Organization for Research Promotion and Collaboration, Okayama University
Fremont, California USA
TEL: 1-510-797-0907
Email: takasenda@okayama-u.ac.jp

Masaharu Seno, Ph.D.
Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama Japan