Protein that regulates the spread of liver cancer discovered
Although no one can claim to have discovered the cure for cancer (yet), a method to prevent it from spreading to other vital organs is well underway.
Recently, a group of researchers at the Hopkins School of Medicine have discovered a group of receptors that may help in preventing the spread of cancer to the liver.
Cancer affects humans in many different forms; one such form is called metastatic cancer. Metastatic cancer cells are those that break away from the original tumor, enter the bloodstream or lymph vessels and migrate to another part of the body. The cancer cells can latch on in these new locations, and continue to proliferate.
For example, if breast cancer were to spread to the lungs, the cancer would be called "metastatic breast cancer" instead of "lung cancer." If you were to look at metastatic breast cancer under a microscope, you would see cancer cells that were identical to breast cancer cells, not lung cancer cells.
Previous studies have revealed two key molecular mechanisms behind metastasis. Integrin ?2, a receptor protein that facilitates binding between a cell and the surrounding tissue, aids specifically in the binding of collagen type IV, primarily found on the surface of organs and blood vessels.
Additionally, collagen type IV is activated by an enzyme called focal adhesion kinase. Focal adhesion kinase is a key player in the cellular adhesion and spreading process. By impairing this cell migration, integrin-mediated cell adhesion characterizes metastatic cancers.
"In this study, we studied both human and mouse, and tried to find the clear mechanism to get the concrete strategy for the treatment of human hepatic cancer metastasis," Kiyoshi Yoshimura, of the Hopkins Department of Surgery and Oncology and the lead researcher of the study, said.
In this study, scientists examined the molecules found on the cell membrane of cancerous liver cells that had become affected by cancer cells from previous liver metastasis. Using mice as model organisms, scientists injected metastatic clusters of liver cells into their spleen.
Recently, a group of researchers at the Hopkins School of Medicine have discovered a group of receptors that may help in preventing the spread of cancer to the liver.
Cancer affects humans in many different forms; one such form is called metastatic cancer. Metastatic cancer cells are those that break away from the original tumor, enter the bloodstream or lymph vessels and migrate to another part of the body. The cancer cells can latch on in these new locations, and continue to proliferate.
For example, if breast cancer were to spread to the lungs, the cancer would be called "metastatic breast cancer" instead of "lung cancer." If you were to look at metastatic breast cancer under a microscope, you would see cancer cells that were identical to breast cancer cells, not lung cancer cells.
Previous studies have revealed two key molecular mechanisms behind metastasis. Integrin ?2, a receptor protein that facilitates binding between a cell and the surrounding tissue, aids specifically in the binding of collagen type IV, primarily found on the surface of organs and blood vessels.
Additionally, collagen type IV is activated by an enzyme called focal adhesion kinase. Focal adhesion kinase is a key player in the cellular adhesion and spreading process. By impairing this cell migration, integrin-mediated cell adhesion characterizes metastatic cancers.
"In this study, we studied both human and mouse, and tried to find the clear mechanism to get the concrete strategy for the treatment of human hepatic cancer metastasis," Kiyoshi Yoshimura, of the Hopkins Department of Surgery and Oncology and the lead researcher of the study, said.
In this study, scientists examined the molecules found on the cell membrane of cancerous liver cells that had become affected by cancer cells from previous liver metastasis. Using mice as model organisms, scientists injected metastatic clusters of liver cells into their spleen.
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