A new study reveals that after more than 12 years of research, a kinase’s role in triggering cellular responses has been uncovered. The study, led by Irving Coy Allen at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, has potentially paved the way for future treatments for colorectal cancer in humans. The paper, which was published in May in the American Gastroenterological Association journal Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, highlights the significance of NF-kB-inducing kinase (NIK) in triggering cellular responses that can lower the risk of developing colorectal cancer.an illness that affects the colon or rectum. The NIK gene plays a crucial role in this type of cancer, as it encodes a protein that regulates the activity of many genes and pathways. This discovery provides a promising target for potential therapeutics to treat colorectal cancer. Pharmaceutical companies are already working on developing drugs that target the NIK gene, and this research could incentivize them to accelerate their efforts in finding effective drug candidates.The second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US is colorectal cancer, with over 52,000 fatalities in 2023. Current treatment typically revolves around chemotherapy and can be quite challenging for patients to undergo.
“By discovering new markers and potential drug targets, we may be able to develop more effective treatment strategies that reduce side effects and ultimately improve patient outcomes,” Allen explained.
Although much of the research was conducted using mice, which in itself could have yielded valuable findings, Allen’s team went the extra mile by directly applying the findings to human patients.
“By initially studying it in mice, we were able to pinpoint factors that may be relevant in human cases and potential treatment options. This approach could significantly impact the way we address this disease in the future,” Allen stated.”Our study identified changes in a significant signaling pathway in human patients,” Allen said. “Through collaboration with the Duke University Medical Center and colleagues here at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, we were able to get human specimens to confirm that what we were observing in the mouse models was also true in human colorectal cancer patients.” The medical application of the findings will be determined in years to come as other researchers seek to identify treatments that can target NIK and its interactions with other proteins.This opens up a range of potential targets that have not been previously assessed in that pathway, which could potentially lead to the development of new therapeutics.”
The publication of the paper marks the conclusion of an extensive study for Allen. Graduate students Kristin Eden ’06, DVM ’10, Ph.D. ’18; Holly Morrison Ph.D. ’23; and Brie Trusiano Ph.D. ’24 took turns assisting Allen with the research and bringing it to completion.
“When I first arrived here 12 years ago, my postdoctoral work had indicated some indications that this pathway might be significant in the context of colorectal cancer and also in the context of inflammatory bowel disease,Allen expressed his satisfaction with the completion of the work, as it has helped to kickstart the careers of three talented graduate students and several undergraduate researchers. He mentioned that the studies on the NIK pathway in colorectal cancer have ended, and now he and his team will focus on other types of cancer affected by NIK and the signaling pathways it regulates. However, he expressed the hope that others will continue to build on these findings to make life-saving advancements in the treatment of colorectal cancer.
