The research team, led by scientists at the Francis Crick Institute and University College London, discovered that both nerve cells and cancer cells rely on a protein called CPEB4 to protect themselves from cellular stress. CPEB4 is known to regulate gene expression and play crucial roles in neuronal development and function.
In healthy nerve cells, CPEB4 helps neurons cope with the cellular stress that naturally occurs as part of normal aging processes. By protecting neurons from damage and death, CPEB4 contributes to their long-lived nature.
However, in cancer cells, CPEB4 takes on a different role. It promotes cancer cell survival by protecting them from the cellular stress that would normally trigger cell death. This allows cancer cells to continue proliferating and spreading uncontrollably, leading to tumor formation and progression.
The researchers found that inhibiting CPEB4 in cancer cells made them more susceptible to cell death, suggesting that targeting CPEB4 could be a potential therapeutic strategy for treating cancer.
Professor Richard Morris, lead author of the study and head of the Cellular Stress Group at the Francis Crick Institute, said: "Our findings reveal an unexpected link between the survival mechanisms of healthy nerve cells and cancer cells. Understanding how CPEB4 contributes to both neuroprotection and cancer cell survival could lead to new therapeutic approaches for treating a range of neurodegenerative diseases and cancers."
The researchers plan to further investigate the role of CPEB4 in neurodegeneration and cancer and explore the potential of targeting CPEB4 as a therapeutic strategy. This research holds promise for developing new treatments that protect neurons from damage in neurodegenerative diseases and inhibit cancer cell growth and spread in cancer.
