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Protein expression slows prostate cancer metastasis

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Raf kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) appears to inhibit metastasis of prostate cancer cells–a finding that could lead to therapeutic interventions, according to a report published in the June 18th issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

In a previous study, Dr. Evan T. Keller, from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues had shown that RKIP levels were higher in non-metastatic rather than metastatic prostate cancer cells. Still, direct evidence that RKIP actually suppressed metastasis was lacking. In the current study, Dr. Keller’s team shows that transfection of metastatic cells with the RKIP gene results in decreased cell invasion in vitro, and in a mouse model, decreased risk of lung metastases and vascular invasion in the primary tumor. Interestingly, the protein did not inhibit growth of the primary tumor.”RKIP was actually identified some time ago as a neural signaling protein,” Dr. Keller told Reuters Health. “Then a couple of years ago another researcher found that it was involved in kinase signaling.””RKIP fits the definition of a metastasis suppressor gene because it stops the tumor’s ability to spread without affecting its growth,” Dr. Keller noted. “RKIP appears to suppress tumor blood vessel formation” as well as the ability of tumor cells to actually enter the vessels, he added.The findings suggest that “restoring RKIP levels, with a gene therapy approach, could be of therapeutic benefit,” Dr. Keller said. However, “we’re still a ways off from attempting this clinically.”Dr. Keller noted that his team is currently studying whether RKIP levels are inversely related to metastatic potential in breast cancer cells.”The growing numbers of metastasis suppressor genes represent new targets for cancer control,” Dr. Danny R. Welch, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Dr. K. W. Hunter, from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, note in a related editorial.”The fact that some of the known metastasis suppressors can now be arranged into pathways…signals a major step toward controlling the most deadly attribute of cancer cells,” the editorialists note.(Source: J Natl Cancer Inst 2003;95:839-841,878-879: Reuters Health: Anthony J. Brown, MD: June 17, 2003: Oncolink)


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Dates

Posted On: 18 June, 2003
Modified On: 3 December, 2013

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