The University of Osaka · Medicine
Professor Koji Tanaka's research lab focuses on translational and molecular oncology, with a strong emphasis on understanding the biological mechanisms underlying cancer progression, chemoresistance, and tumor microenvironment interactions. The lab investigates key regulatory molecules such as microRNAs, neurotrophic factors (e.g., BDNF/TrkB), and innate immune components like neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in various cancers, including esophageal and colorectal cancer. Their work bridges preclinical models with clinical data to identify prognostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. The lab also explores clinical pathway optimization, such as outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy, to improve patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Implementation of a clinical pathway for outpatient LC was successful, safe, and satisfying for patients. Converting LC to an outpatient procedure resulted in a significant reduction in medical resource use, including a decreased length of stay and total cost of care.
Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) represent extracellular microbial trapping and killing. Recently, it has been implicated in thrombogenesis, autoimmune disease, and cancer progression. The aim of this study was to characterize NETs in various organs of a murine sepsis model in vivo and to investigate their associations with platelets, leukocytes, or vascular endothelium. NETs were classified as two distinct forms; cell-free NETs that were released away from neutrophils and anchored NETs tha
There is increasing evidence that the expression of microRNA (miRNA) in cancer is associated with chemosensitivity but the mechanism of miRNA-induced chemoresistance has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to examine the role of extracellular miRNA in the response to chemotherapy in esophageal cancer. First, serum expression of miRNAs selected by miRNA array was measured by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in 68 patients with esophageal cancer who rec
Tropomyosin-related receptor kinase B (TrkB) signaling, stimulated by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) ligand, promotes tumor progression, and is related to the poor prognosis of various malignancies. We sought to examine the clinical relevance of BDNF/TrkB expression in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues, its prognostic value for CRC patients, and its therapeutic potential in vitro and in vivo. Two hundred and twenty-three CRC patient specimens were used to determine both BDNF and TrkB mRN
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