News & Views
Protein plays 'surprising' role in cancer
Nov 07 2011
Neil Clark
Scientists have made a discovery that could lead to possible personalised treatment of brain tumours.
In a study in the journal Nature, researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center revealed that although mbryonic enzyme pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) has a well-known role in metabolism and human cancers, it could also play a part in cancer formation.
"Our research shows that although PKM2 plays an important role in cancer metabolism, this enzyme also has an unexpected pivotal function – it regulates cell proliferation directly," said senior author Dr Zhimin Lu, associate professor in the Department of Neuro-Oncology at MD Anderson.
He added that the fact that PKM2 contributes directly to gene transcription for cell growth was a very "surprising" finding.
Current epidermal growth factor receptor-based therapy is not very efficient, Dr Lu explained, so this discovery is important to the development of more personalised cancer treatments.
Recently, a University of Michigan Health System laboratory study also identified a possible treatment for sickle cell disease.
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