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Study yields metastasis prevention promise
MONTREAL, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- A Canadian-led study has moved researchers closer to being able to control the spread of breast cancer cells.
Gen-Sheng Feng and colleagues at Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, in collaboration with the Burnham Institute for Medical Research in La Jolla, Calif., say they've discovered a protein known for its ability to "bridge" interactions between other cellular proteins might also spur metastasis in breast cancer.
Feng said the study is one of the first to more precisely define the cancer role for the protein known as Gab-2, which has been of keen research interest for its role in breast cancer but whether it controlled metastasis or initial tumor growth was unknown.
"Although Gab-2 is highly expressed in breast cancer, it is not essential for the development of cancer," said Feng. "We found Gab-2 is, however, essential for metastasis ... of cancer."
He said a more precise understanding of how Gab-2 functions might lead to treatments that would block metastasis.
The study, to be published in the journal Oncogene, is available online at the journal's Web site.
MONTREAL, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- A Canadian-led study has moved researchers closer to being able to control the spread of breast cancer cells.
Gen-Sheng Feng and colleagues at Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, in collaboration with the Burnham Institute for Medical Research in La Jolla, Calif., say they've discovered a protein known for its ability to "bridge" interactions between other cellular proteins might also spur metastasis in breast cancer.
Feng said the study is one of the first to more precisely define the cancer role for the protein known as Gab-2, which has been of keen research interest for its role in breast cancer but whether it controlled metastasis or initial tumor growth was unknown.
"Although Gab-2 is highly expressed in breast cancer, it is not essential for the development of cancer," said Feng. "We found Gab-2 is, however, essential for metastasis ... of cancer."
He said a more precise understanding of how Gab-2 functions might lead to treatments that would block metastasis.
The study, to be published in the journal Oncogene, is available online at the journal's Web site.
Powerful anti-tumor compound created
PITTSBURGH, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- U.S. cancer researchers say they have synthesized a compound that works in a different way than existing agents to block tumor cell growth.
Kazunori Koide and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh say the new compound is so potent that minute levels of 10 parts per trillion block the growth of tumor cells in laboratory experiments.
The parent compound, FR901464, inhibited the growth of cancer cells implanted into laboratory mice. Because of structural similarity between FR901464 and its analogue, meayamycin, the Koide group is cautiously optimistic meayamycin also will be effective against tumors in mice.
The amount that the Koide employed against cancer cells is equivalent to 10 seconds in 32,000 years or one packet of sugar in a coffee cup the size of 400 Olympic-size pools.
The report, which describes the compound as one of the most potent of all anti-cancer agents, is to appear in the March 7 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
PITTSBURGH, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- U.S. cancer researchers say they have synthesized a compound that works in a different way than existing agents to block tumor cell growth.
Kazunori Koide and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh say the new compound is so potent that minute levels of 10 parts per trillion block the growth of tumor cells in laboratory experiments.
The parent compound, FR901464, inhibited the growth of cancer cells implanted into laboratory mice. Because of structural similarity between FR901464 and its analogue, meayamycin, the Koide group is cautiously optimistic meayamycin also will be effective against tumors in mice.
The amount that the Koide employed against cancer cells is equivalent to 10 seconds in 32,000 years or one packet of sugar in a coffee cup the size of 400 Olympic-size pools.
The report, which describes the compound as one of the most potent of all anti-cancer agents, is to appear in the March 7 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.