Sankyo Company, Limited

Shinji Tamura

Yuji Matsuzawa

Tohru Funahashi

The present invention provides a new anti-tumor agent containing adiponectin as an active ingredient, particularly, an anti-tumor agent capable of inhibiting carcinogenesis in the liver, use of adiponectin as an anti-tumor agent, and a prophylactic or therapeutic method against a tumor using adiponectin. The administration form may be either oral administration, e.g., by tablets or parenteral administration, e.g., by injection; in the case of intravenous injection for inhibiting carcinogenesis in the liver, the dosage is 1 to 100 mg/kg/day per adult patient.

Anti-tumor agent

Although it is known that adiponectin, which is adipose-specific protein, has effects of suppressing the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle, an effect against arteriosclerosis, an effect of inhibiting the activation of monocytes and macrophages and an anti-inflammatory effect, its action on hepatic stellate cells has never been known hitherto. The present invention has elucidated that adiponectin inhibits the actions of TGFB and PDGF on hepatic stellate cells and thereby exerts effects of suppressing hepatic fibrosis and promoting the proliferation of normal hepatocytes.

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Mino, Japan

Shinji Tamura