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Posted on May 19, 2011, 6 a.m.
The discovery of a regulatory protein that inhibits the spread of cancer cells could lead to new cancer treatments to prevent cancer metastasis.
Researchers at one of Canada’s leading universities have discovered a protein that appears to be capable of stopping cancer from spreading throughout the body, a process known as metastasis. Dr Andrew Craig and colleagues at Queen’s University identified the regulatory protein, Cdc42-interacting protein 4 (CIP4), which works by removing and breaking down an invasive enzyme of the surface of cancer cells. If left unchallenged this enzyme facilitates the spread of cancer by degrading and modifying surrounding tissues. The researchers hope that their discoveries may lead to the development of targeted therapies to prevent cancer metastasis.
Jinghui Hu, Alka Mukhopadhyay, Peter Truesdell, Harish Chander, Utpal K Mukhopadhyay, Alan S Mak, Andrew WB Craig. Cdc42-interacting protein 4 is a Src substrate that regulates invadopodia and invasiveness of breast tumors by promoting MT1-MMP endocytosis. Cell Sci. 2011;124:1739-1751. DOI: 10.1242/jcs.078014
