* Breakthrough could pave the way for new cancer treatments
* Discovery reveals key mechanism by which cancers evade normal growth-suppressing signals
* Findings published in leading journal Nature Cell Biology
A team of scientists led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has made a breakthrough discovery that could pave the way for new cancer treatments. The study, published in the leading journal Nature Cell Biology, reveals a key mechanism by which cancers evade normal growth-suppressing signals.
Cancers are characterized by uncontrolled cell growth. This growth is often driven by mutations in genes that regulate cell division. However, even in cells with these mutations, there are still mechanisms in place that can suppress growth if the cells become too large or crowded.
One of these mechanisms is known as contact inhibition. When cells come into contact with each other, they send signals to each other that tell them to stop dividing. This process helps to maintain a balance between cell growth and the body's need for new cells.
However, some cancer cells have a way of overriding contact inhibition. This allows them to continue dividing even when they are in contact with other cells, leading to the formation of tumors.
The team of scientists at UCSF has now discovered a new way in which cancers can override contact inhibition. They found that some cancer cells produce a protein called SPRY4 that blocks the growth-suppressing signals that are normally sent between cells.
This discovery is significant because it could lead to new cancer treatments that target SPRY4. By blocking the activity of SPRY4, it may be possible to restore contact inhibition to cancer cells and stop them from dividing.
The study's lead author, Dr. Benjamin D. Greenbaum, said, "We are excited about the potential implications of our findings. We believe that targeting SPRY4 could be a promising new strategy for treating cancer."
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
