Researchers identify a new protein as a potential therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer -
IMIM researchers (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute) have identified a new protein, galectin-1 as a therapeutic target may for pancreatic cancer. For the first time, they have demonstrated the effects of inhibition of this protein in mice suffering from this type of cancer and the results showed an increase in survival of 20%. The work also suggests that this could be a therapeutic target without side effects.
Until now, strategies for the treatment of this tumor were to attack tumor cells and had little success. The latest studies indicate that try to destroy what surrounds the tumor may be a better strategy. "Our contribution is directed to this, as reducing galectin-1 primarily affects the immune system and the cells and the structure surrounding the tumor cells, which is called the stroma. Therefore, galectin-1 as a therapeutic target has great potential, "says Dr. Pilar Navarro, coordinator of the research group on the molecular mechanisms of oncogenesis IMIM and director of research.
is knew that galectin-1 was not found in the normal pancreas despite being highly expressed in pancreatic tumors. in addition, some functions have been clearly known that show the relationship between galectin-1 and tumor progression in other contexts. in fact, some clinical studies for other diseases using molecule inhibitors and antibodies against this protein. "We aim to its possible use in pancreatic cancer," says Dr. Neus Mart-nez, a researcher of the group on the molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis and the IMIM and first author of this article. "We also observed that the elimination of galectin-1 in mice has no adverse consequences, indicating that it could be a safe therapeutic target, without adverse effects, "she added.
In collaboration with the Hospital del Mar Anatomic Pathology Service, which analyzed samples, tumors of the pancreas were studied in mice with high levels of galectin-1, and after exhaustion. They observed that tumors although this protein showed less proliferation, fewer blood vessels, less inflammation and an increase in the immune response. All these changes are associated with less aggressive tumors.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the tumors with the worst prognosis, with a survival rate below 2%, 5 years after diagnosis. Although it is not a very common tumor, it is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in developed countries. This is due, firstly, to the fact that it is often diagnosed too late, when the tumor has already metastasized, and, secondly, to the ineffectiveness of current treatments. In Spain, 4,000 cases are diagnosed each year. Although it is a tumor that is known at the molecular level, diagnosis and treatment are always a step behind. In fact, it is one of the tumors with the least treatment advances in recent years.
The results are very encouraging, but we must be careful because there are many factors to consider. The researchers now want to spend results in preclinical studies, where they will treat mice with pancreatic cancer with chemical inhibitors or antibodies against galectin-1 (the same treatment that would be used for a cancer patient) to to verify the therapeutic usefulness of this objective. In case they get positive results and manage to stop the tumor, the next step would be to propose its use on patients. Obviously we are talking about long-term goals, like the transfer of animal studies to humans is usually a slow process.
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