The activation of Gstt1 allows cells to modify their surroundings to promote their growth. This discovery may open up new approaches for treating metastatic cancer, especially for individuals with pancreatic cancer.
Expression of Gstt1 enables the cells to change the surrounding environment to support their growth. The findings could lead to new strategies to treat metastatic cancer and would be particularly impactful for patients with pancreatic cancer.
Metastatic cancer cells, which cause 90% of cancer-related deaths, must overcome numerous hurdlesMetastatic cancer refers to cancer cells that spread from the original tumor through the bloodstream and settle in different tissues. A new study conducted by researchers at the Mass General Cancer Center has identified a gene that gives these cells a competitive edge in terms of growth. This gene’s expression enables metastatic cancer cells to alter their surrounding environment, allowing them to thrive in new locations within the body. The study’s findings have been published in Nature Cell Biology. Senior author Raul Mostoslavsky stated, “Our results suggest potential new approaches for targeting metastatic cancer with specific therapies.”MD, PhD is the scientific director of the Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research at the Mass General Cancer Center. Mostoslavsky and his team conducted a study comparing gene expression patterns in primary and metastatic tumors in mice with pancreatic or breast cancer. They identified genes that were more expressed in metastatic tumor cells and conducted experiments to silence each gene individually. Silencing the Gstt1 gene had no effect on primary tumor cells, but it inhibited the growth and spread of metastatic cancer cells and blocked cell growth in two metastatic-derived cell lines.
Human pancreatic cancer cell lines.
The Gstt1 gene produces an enzyme that belongs to a group of proteins that are responsible for protecting cells from toxins, among other functions. Research on the mechanism of action of the Gstt1 enzyme revealed that it causes metastatic cancer cells to change and release a protein called fibronectin. This protein is crucial for helping cells to adhere to the extracellular matrix, which is a complex network of proteins and other molecules that surround and support cells and tissues in the body.
“Gstt1 changes the environment around the metastatic cells, allowing them to thrive in these foreign environments,” explained Mostoslavs.ky. “Our findings may open up new approaches for treating metastatic conditions. This could have a significant impact on pancreatic cancer, as the majority of patients are already dealing with metastases at the time of diagnosis.”
