Cancer drug resistance insights found
14 October 2009
MRC 57/2009
A gene which may help to determine resistance to certain anti-cancer drugs has been identified by Medical Research Council scientists.
The research, carried out at the MRC Cancer Cell Unit in Cambridge and published in Nature Cell Biology this week, has identified that the gene which encodes the protein UBE2S is essential for cell division.
Many widely-used cancer treatments, such as taxol and other related drugs, work by blocking the rapid division of cancer cells. However, cancers in certain patients are resistant to these drugs and so the cancer cells keep on dividing. The reasons for this drug resistance have previously been unclear.
MRC scientists analysed over 500 genes, to look at the effect of drugs that prevent cancer cell division. They found that the gene encoding the protein UBE2S, which is not normally important in the division of cells, plays a crucial role once the drug treatments are applied. Reduced levels of this UBE2S protein make it harder for cells to divide, so higher levels of this protein could mean that the cells are more resistant to drug treatment.
Lead author, Professor Ashok Venkitaraman, said:
‘‘This new finding is a significant step forward in our understanding of how cancer cells become resistant to drugs. It will help us select the patients who are most likely to benefit from drugs that prevent cell division, like taxol, and where this treatment might be less effective. In time this knowledge may help us overcome cancer cell resistance to these drugs.”
Ends
Notes
1. Cell division or mitosis is an essential process which allows the body to replace old or damaged cells and thus maintain healthy tissue and organs. Although cell division is usually tightly regulated, cancers can arise when this process becomes uncontrolled.
2. Reference: UBE2S elongates ubiquitin chains on APC/C substrates to promote mitotic exit. M.J. Garnett, J. Mansfeld, C. Godwin, T. Matsusaka, J. Wu, P. Russell, J. Pines, and A. R. Venkitaraman. Nature Cell Biology (2009)
3. Within the body, a gene is a segment of DNA which, when it is active or ‘expressed’, provides instructions for the production of proteins; this is referred to as the “gene encoding the protein” . Protein is an important component of every cell in our bodies. Our bodies use protein to build and repair tissues. We also use protein to make enzymes, hormones and other body chemicals.
4. For almost 100 years the Medical Research Council has improved the health of people in the UK and around the world by supporting the highest quality science. The MRC has invested in world-class research leaders, producing 29 Nobel Prize winners and sustaining a flourishing environment for internationally recognised research. The MRC focuses on making an impact and has provided the financial muscle and scientific expertise behind medical breakthroughs including the first antibiotic penicillin, the structure of DNA and the lethal link between smoking and cancer. Today MRC funded scientists tackle research into the major health challenges of the 21st century. www.mrc.ac.uk
Catherine Beveridge
Phone: 020 7637 6011
Email: press.office@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
