Prostate cancer ranks as the second most prevalent cancer among men globally. Researchers are exploring innovative treatment strategies that not only inhibit tumor development but also activate the immune system to fight against tumor cells.
Prostate cancer is the second most prevalent form of cancer in men across the globe. Despite progress in medical treatments over the years, this type of cancer accounts for one in every eight cancer-related deaths among men in Austria alone. An international team of researchers, led by MedUni Vienna, has recently explored a novel approach for developing treatments that not only impede tumor growth but also enhance the immune system’s ability to target tumor cells. Their findings have been published in the prestigious journal Molecular Cancer.
The research team concentrated on the GP130 signaling pathway, which is believed to hold significant promise in the fight against cancer. The reasoning behind this is that the GP130-mediated signaling pathway is essential for cell communication and impacts the activity of the transcription factor STAT3, which is linked to tumor development and progression. Consequently, blocking the GP130 signaling pathway has been viewed as a potential breakthrough in cancer treatment. However, the current study reveals a surprising conclusion: activating, rather than inhibiting, the GP130 signaling pathway can slow down tumor growth in prostate cells.
New prospects, especially for aggressive tumors
To uncover these findings, the researchers examined genetically engineered mice in which GP130 was specifically activated in the prostate. “This allowed us to directly observe the reduction in tumor growth at the cellular level,” explains Lukas Kenner (Clinical Department of Pathology, MedUni Vienna), who co-led the study with Stefan Rose-John (Biochemical Institute, University of Kiel). The results were further corroborated by the analysis of tissue samples from prostate cancer patients, which indicated that elevated GP130 levels are associated with improved survival rates. Extensive molecular analyses, including gene expression profiling, were also conducted.
“Our research presents exciting new evidence that activating GP130 in prostate cells not only slows tumor growth but also encourages the immune system to actively target cancer cells,” summarizes Lukas Kenner, highlighting the importance of their findings, which will undergo further validation in future studies. This research lays the groundwork for a promising new treatment option, particularly for aggressive forms of prostate cancer that remain challenging to manage.
