Cancer researchers can transform cancer cells back into healthy cells

Researchers force cancer cells to revert to normal cells
The uncontrolled growth of cancerous tumors is due to an erroneous regulation of cell growth, which may be remedied. Scientists at the Mayo Clinic in Florida and the University of Geneva have now discovered a new approach that allows the tumor cells to be reprogrammed into normal cells.

The research team led by the chair of the Department of Cancer Biology at Mayo Clinic Florida, dr. Panos Anastasiadis, talks about a whole new strategy for cancer therapy. Cancer cells could be transformed back into normal cells using the new method. The results of her latest study have been published in the journal Nature Cell Biology.

By reprogramming the miRNA, normal cell function can be restored. (Image: Alex / fotolia.com)

Turn cancer cells on and off?
The scientists may have decrypted the code to turn cancer cells on and off. Their approach is based on the recognition that the so-called adhesion proteins (adhesive of the cells) interact with the micro-processor of the cells (microRNA), which in turn has a significant influence on the regulation of cell growth. If the adhesion is disrupted, miRNAs are dysregulated and cancer cells begin to grow uncontrollably.

Adhesion proteins with decisive influence
In their experiments, the scientists were also able to identify the protein PLEKHA7 as crucial for the function of adhesion and miRNA. If this protein was missing, the oncogenic development of the cells began. However, administration of the protein restored normal miRNA function in cancer cells and reversed abnormal cell growth, the Mayo Clinic reported.

Normal cell function recoverable
According to the researchers, the protein PLEKHA7 was missing in the vast majority of the human tumor samples investigated, which is equivalent to accelerating the car in the car with a lot of gas and no brakes. The administration of the protein could theoretically restore "the brakes and normal cell function," explains Drs. Anastasiadis. "First experiments on some aggressive cancers are indeed very promising," continues the study director. If a reliable reprogramming of the misdirected miRNA is possible, the uncontrolled growth of the cancer cells could be stopped in this way and the possibilities of cancer treatment would improve significantly. (Fp)