People with breast and lung cancers whose tumors had low amounts of a silencer molecule called miR-515-5 had lower chances of survival.
Key Stem Cell Gene Found to Have On-off Switch
In animals and humans, a region of an animal's genome acts as the controller and directs when a particular gene can perform its prescribed function which is the pilot.
In animals and humans, a region of an animal's genome acts as the controller and directs when a particular gene can perform its prescribed function which is the pilot.
‘A molecule called miR-515-5p helps to silence, or switch off the gene that produces MARK4, a protein that enables the cancer cells to break free and move around to other parts of the body.’
During tumor growth, cancer cells can break off and travel in the bloodstream or lymph system to other parts of the body, in a process called metastasis. Patients whose cancers spread tend to have a worse prognosis, explains Professor Justin Stebbing, senior author of the study from the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial: "The ability of a cancer to spread around the body has a large impact on a patient's survival. However, at the moment we are still in the dark about why some cancers spread around the body -- while others stay in one place. This study has given important insights into this process."
The researchers were looking at breast and lung cancer cells and they found that a protein called MARK4 enables the cells to break free and move around to other parts of the body, such as the brain and liver. Although scientists are still unsure how it does this, one theory is it affects the cell's internal scaffolding, enabling it to move more easily around the body.
General On-off Switch Suggests Structure of Cell Signaling Molecule
There may be a sort of main power switch that could be tripped suggests a three-dimensional image of one of the proteins.
There may be a sort of main power switch that could be tripped suggests a three-dimensional image of one of the proteins.
In the study, the team used human breast cancer and lung cancer cells to show that the miR-515-5p molecule silences the gene MARK4. They then confirmed this in mouse models, which showed that increasing the amount of miR-515-5p prevents the spread of cancer cells. The findings also revealed that the silencer molecule was found in lower levels in human tumors that had spread around the body.
Advertisement
How Cells Go Out of Control and Change into Cancer Cells
Researchers have gained insight into how developing cells typically switch to a restricted, or particular state and how that process might go wrong in cancer.
Researchers have gained insight into how developing cells typically switch to a restricted, or particular state and how that process might go wrong in cancer.
Researchers are now investigating whether either the MARK4 gene or the silencer molecule could be targeted with drugs. They are also investigating whether these molecules could be used to develop a test to indicate whether a patient's cancer is likely to spread.
Advertisement
On-Off Switch for Sperm Activation Leads to Newer Infertility Treatments
Doctors are unable to determine the cause of nearly 80 percent of all cases of male infertility and sperm function is blamed in half of the cases.
Doctors are unable to determine the cause of nearly 80 percent of all cases of male infertility and sperm function is blamed in half of the cases.
Dr Olivier Pardo, lead author of the paper, also from the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial, added: "Our work also identified that MARK4 enables breast and lung cancer cells to both divide and invade other parts of the body. These findings could have profound implications for treating breast and lung cancers, two of the biggest cancer killers worldwide."
Source-Eurekalert
