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Inhibitor "lockdown" can stop tumor cells, according to study

2022-05-03T14:55:32.203Z


Cancer: Researchers discover new "lockdown" inhibitor Created: 05/03/2022Updated: 05/03/2022 16:46 By: Judith Brown Researchers discovered a substance with a special property. It can immobilize tumor cells. (Iconic image) © Ralph Lueger/IMAGO Researchers discovered a substance that can stop tumor cells and prevent metastases. The lockdown inhibitor works like an adhesive. Konstanz – Still no


Cancer: Researchers discover new "lockdown" inhibitor

Created: 05/03/2022Updated: 05/03/2022 16:46

By: Judith Brown

Researchers discovered a substance with a special property.

It can immobilize tumor cells.

(Iconic image) © Ralph Lueger/IMAGO

Researchers discovered a substance that can stop tumor cells and prevent metastases.

The lockdown inhibitor works like an adhesive.

Konstanz – Still no panacea against cancer has been found.

Nevertheless, research is constantly evolving and scientists keep achieving successes or even milestones in the fight against cancer.

One of them could be the current discovery by a research team from the University of Konstanz led by cell biologist Prof. Christof Hauck.

They found a substance with a special property: the so-called "lockdown" inhibitor prevents the mobility of tumor cells.

Cancer: Researchers discover new "lockdown" inhibitor

In their study, which they published in the specialist journal Cell Chemical Biology, they explained the function of the inhibitor.

Accordingly, two groups of enzymes are responsible for controlling cell behavior: the so-called protein phosphatases and their counterparts, the protein kinases.

Their interaction influences cellular processes such as growth, reproduction, differentiation or migration.

These enzymes regulate the degree of phosphorylation of other proteins and thus their function.

Impaired protein phosphorylation is the main feature of cancer cells.

In the case of cancer, the interaction of these enzymes gets mixed up, whereby metastases develop and can invade healthy tissue.

Inhibitor "Lockdown" makes tumor cells immobile

With the help of the substance discovered by Hauck and his colleagues, a key enzyme that is often found in large quantities in malignant tumors can now allegedly be switched off in the cancer cells.

It targets the protein phosphatase PPM1F, which is important for cell locomotion.

The 'lockdown' inhibitor - which the researchers so named because it immobilizes tumor cells - sticks to the cancer cells, preventing them from moving.

"This cellular lockdown prevents tumor cells from invading healthy tissue and could thereby help suppress metastases," says a press release.

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Inhibitor discovered by researchers prevents tumor cell invasion

Because the inhibitor also prevents the so-called “tumor cell invasion”.

This is the process and ability of tumor cells to migrate through tissue barriers and metastasize to distant sites in the body.

With the help of "lockdown", the researchers managed to prevent human glioblastoma cells, which are a very invasive form of brain tumor cells, from crossing tissue barriers and invading healthy tissue.

"Lockdown" inhibitor: new hope in the fight against cancer?

With the development of the inhibitor, there may be new hope in the fight against cancer.

However, research is still in its infancy.

"It may still be a distant dream, but the possibility of stopping the metastasis of tumors would be a significant advance," says Tanja Grimm, first author of the study, and continues: "Especially in situations in which the primary tumor can be surgically removed , the possible occurrence of metastases hangs over the patient like the sword of Damocles.” Scientists may also have recently made a breakthrough in the treatment of liver cancer: in an experiment, they destroyed a tumor with ultrasound waves.

However, cancer patients often believe false nutritional myths and, in the worst case, risk their lives.

This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication.

In no way does it replace a visit to the doctor.

Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.

Source: merkur

All life articles on 2022-05-03

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