Starving lung cancer could be an effective treatment - Drug Target Review
A recently discovered enzyme could lead to the development of a treatment where cancer cells are starved of ‘food’ provided by this protein… UT Southwestern researchers have found that an enzyme on the surface of some lung cancer cells helps feed the cancer, making it a tempting treatment target. The enzyme, transmembrane serine protease 11B (TMPRSS11B) is described in a recent study. In addition to being found in squamous cell lung cancer and prostate cancer, the enzyme also has been identified in squamous cell head, neck, and cervical cancers, said Dr Kathryn O’Donnell , Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology. Her team identified TMPRSS11B while searching for genes that can convert precancerous lung cells into malignant cells that can form tumors. “In this study, we found that the enzyme strongly promoted the growth of certain types of lung cancer cells. We uncovered a new mechanism that expands our understanding of how cancer cells reprogram their metabolism to provide ...