Manipulating a protein to stop common cancers from spreading
Finding ways to stop cancer from spreading in the body is a major priority in cancer research because it would dramatically improve survival rates. Professor Samuel Breit has unlocked a new way of stopping prostate cancer and other common cancers in their tracks through targeting a protein involved in tumour development.
Background
An immune protein called MIC-1/GDF15 is found in high levels across several common types of cancer, including prostate cancer. It is believed that this protein has the unique ability to modify the behaviours of these cancers. Professor Breit’s team predict the protein can slow down the growth of cancers when they are newly developed. As the cancer becomes more advanced, however, this protein may actually help the cancer to spread to other parts of the body. Cancer spreading like this is a major cause of treatment failure, so it is essential to determine the exact role that MIC-1/GDF15 plays in cancer development.
The research
- For this project, the team focused on prostate cancer. They discovered that the protein has ‘anti-cancer’ powers that protect against prostate cancer in its early stage, slowing down growth. This is partly due to the protein’s ability to boost the body’s immune system, helping it fight the cancer cells.
- This shows there is a link between this protein and the development of cancer, and this link could be incorporated into cancer therapies.
- This MIC-1/GDF15 immune protein is not generally made in normal tissue, but it is produced in high amounts in people with different types of common cancers.
- These findings show that the expression of MIC-1/GDF15 is important to cancer biology and cancer outcomes. Using this protein as a treatment can have benefits for people when their cancer is in its early stages.
The impact
Professor Breit’s project has provided an essential insight about the role of MIC-1/GDF15 in early and late stage cancer. A high amount of this protein is able to stop the growth of prostate cancer early on, and the research team has shown this increases survival substantially. However, when the cancer is more advanced, this protein can encourage the dangerous spread of the cancer to other parts of the body. As the role of MIC-1/GDF15 changes across the stages of cancer, these findings have important clinical significance. It means doctors could regulate a patient’s levels of MIC-1/GDF15 levels depending on the stage of their cancer. Early on, treatments to boost the levels of this protein could be given to a patient to protect against cancer growth. If a person’s cancer is more advanced, they could receive therapies that block this protein which would reduce the risk of their cancer spreading.
Research team
Professor Samuel Breit
St Vincent’s Centre for Applied Medical Research