Annual Report 2022
Department of Analytical Pathology
Yasushi Yatabe, Taisuke Mori
Introduction
Organ tissues are composed of a wide variety of cells, each of which acquires its own "biological roles and features" and is responsible for its specific function in the organs. Cancer cells originate from particular cells in the tissue, of which biological features are retained after transformation to cancer. We, as pathologists, have an extensive clinicopathologic understanding of all tumor types. With this knowledge, we support the basis of all cancer research at the NCC Research Institute through cancer diagnosis, tissue collection and morphological analyses.
The Team and What We Do
The Division of Analytical Pathology is positioned as a research section that evaluates biomarkers and clinicopathological features through pathological analysis in the Fundamental Innovative Oncology Core (FIOC). In collaboration with the Department of Diagnostic Pathology of the NCC Hospital and the NCC Biobank, it plays a fundamental role in cancer research, including selection and evaluation among all tumor types. The department also provides appropriate advice and collaborative researches on clinicopathological features of tumors of interest in oncology and the spatial analysis of tumor tissues from the perspective of histological pathology.
Research Activities
1. Histopathological evaluation of PDX models
In collaboration with the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, we have evaluated the histological grade and tumor cell content of established PDX tissues (percent tumor, stroma, necrotic cell count) and constructed a database of these data.
2. Selection of cases with particular genetic abnormalities
An interesting epigenomic abnormality was found in tumors with specific genetic abnormalities. We identified specific tumor subtypes, which had the epigenetic abnormality, and specimens from these tumor subtypes were selected and provided from the biobank resources.
3. Image analysis of digitalized pathological specimens
Several hundred pathological specimens were digitized and used as the basis for image analysis. The images were analyzed through deep learning, and the possibility of new biomarkers by extracting features has been reported.
4. Pathological analysis using immunostaining
We showed differences in protein expression in autonomic nerves in and adjacent to tumors. The difference was concordant with in vitro data showing changes in autonomic nerves in tumors, suggesting that the same phenomenon occurs in the specimens in vivo.
Education
We provide basic pathology and technical support to graduate students and masters students at the institute. In addition, collaborative research was conducted to provide pathological data for residents and graduate students at the NCC Hospital.
Future Prospects
In collaboration with the Department of Diagnostic Pathology at the NCC Hospital and the NCC Biobank, we will provide advice and techniques from a tumor perspective across all organs in their respective studies, leading to research of higher quality and the development of biomarkers and other products for use in clinical practice.