Department of Cell Biology

Subjects:

1. The role of heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor in development.
2. The mode of actions of membrane-anchored growth factors.
3. Ectodomain shedding mechanism of EGF family growth factor.
4. Physiological role of CD9 and the tetraspanin family proteins.
5. Epigenetics in germ cells: During germ cell differentiation, epigenetic information undergoes drastically changes. We are analyzing the molecular mechanisms of the DNA methylation, histone modifications and histone to protamine transition in spermatogenesis.
6. Transcriptional regulation of germ cell specific genes: During male germ cell development, each differentiation step requires the expression of a specific set of precisely regulated genes. We are characterizing specific transcription initiation and epigenetic modifications underlie the regulation of gene expression in germ cells.

Published Papers

1. HB-EGF and PDGF Mediate Reciprocal Interactions of Carcinoma Cells with Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts to Support Progression of Uterine Cervical Cancers.

   Takuya Murata, Hiroto Mizushima, Ichino Chinen, Hiroki Moribe, Shigeo Yagi, Robert M Hoffman, Tadashi Kimura, Kiyoshi Yoshino, Yutaka Ueda, Takayuki Enomoto and Eisuke Mekada

   Cancer Res, 71 (21), 6633-6642, 2011.
2. A Novel Anti-Human HB-EGF Monoclonal Antibody with Multiple Antitumor Mechanisms against Ovarian Cancer Cells.

   Shingo Miyamoto, Ryo Iwamoto, Akiko Furuya, Kumiko Takahashi, Yuka Sasaki, Hiroshi Ando, Fusanori Yotsumoto, Tomoko Yoneda, Miki Hamaoka, Hiroshi Yagi, Takuya Murakami, Sayaka Hori, Kenya Shitara and Eisuke Mekada

   Clin Cancer Res, 17 (21), 6733-6741, 2011.
3. Assessment of HB-EGF levels in peritoneal fluid and serum of ovarian cancer patients using ELISA.

   Shoko Hikita, Fusanori Yotsumoto, Tatsuya Fumaki, Shinji Horiuchi, Ayako Sanui, Kohei Miyata, Sung Ouk Nam, Hiroshi Tsujioka, Taeko Ueda, Kyoko Shirota, Toshiyuki Yoshizato, Kazuhiro Maeda, Toyokazu Ishikawa, Yoshinobu Okuno, Masahide Kuroki, Eisuke Mekada and Shingo Miyamoto

   Anticancer Res, 31 (7), 2553-2559, 2011.
4. A novel function of EpCAM in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells under anchorage-independent conditions.

   Hiroshi Inoue, Yuichi Ohnishi, Masahiro Nakajima, Kenji Kakudo and Masami Nozaki

   Int J Oncol, 39 (6), 1401-1405, 2011.
5. Proteolytic activation of heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor by membrane-type matrix metalloproteinase-1 in ovarian carcinoma cells.

   Naohiko Koshikawa, Hiroto Mizushima, Tomoko Minegishi, Fuyuki Eguchi, Fusanori Yotsumoto, Kazuki Nabeshima, Shingo Miyamoto, Eisuke Mekada and Motoharu Seiki

   Cancer Sci, 102 (1), 111-116, 2011.

Link

http://www.biken.osaka-u.ac.jp/