Biochemists at Case Western Reserve are concentrating on the degradation of a key protein that drives cancer; represents a major shift in research.
Biochemical researchers at Case Western Reserve University have discovered a a new function of a key protein that leads to cancer–a finding they believe could lead to more effective treatments for a range of cancers and other diseases.
The protein is LSD1 (lysine-specific histone demethylase 1A), which functions as a type of traffic cop inside human cells. It controls gene activity during embryonic development and regulating gene expression throughout life.
Scientists have also identified in recent years that the overexpression of LSD1—in this instance, producing too many proteins—can drive development of cancer and heart disease.
A New Approach to Cancer Treatment
And some researchers have recently looked to slow cancer growth by stopping the catalytic activity of LSDI—the chemical reaction that spurs cell growth, but also appears to lead to its overexpression.
But Kaixiang Cao, an assistant professor of biochemistry is leading a team that challenges that assumption: The medical school researchers argue that they can achieve far greater success to slow or stop cancer growth in stem cells by instead degrading the entire LSD1 protein, not merely short-circuiting the chemical reaction that leads to its overexpression.
Challenging Conventional Wisdom
“Our findings really challenge the current paradigm,” Cao said.
Their research was recently published in the journal Nature Communications.
“We need a really precise and effective way of targeting these proteins, and our research shows that stopping that catalysis might be effective (at stopping the overexpression) 15% of the time, while our approach is closer to 80%,” Cao said. “So, if we can develop a degrader of LSD1, we can help the patient go through less therapy—even if we cannot completely cure cancer.”
Cao said he and his team were surprised LSD1 functions mainly in a catalytic-independent manner, but now that they’ve provided to the research community a “theoretical foundation that this is going to be a more effective way to treat these diseases,” they’ll begin to test further, first in cancerous tissues, then animal models and eventually human trials.
“This is the future—you add the degrader, and it will kill the protein completely,” he said. “The technique is already there because it has been done to other proteins by other researchers—but not yet to LSD1.”
Reference: “Demethylase-independent roles of LSD1 in regulating enhancers and cell fate transition” by Cheng Zeng, Jiwei Chen, Emmalee W. Cooke, Arijita Subuddhi, Eliana T. Roodman, Fei Xavier Chen and Kaixiang Cao, 22 August 2023, Nature Communications.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40606-1
News
Completely New Use Discovered – This Traditional Herb Has Remarkable Nerve Regenerative Properties
Blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus), a member of the Asteraceae family, thrives in our climate. This plant has been utilized for centuries as a medicinal herb, often consumed as an extract or tea to support [...]
Scientists study lipids cell by cell, making new cancer research possible
Imagine being able to look inside a single cancer cell and see how it communicates with its neighbors. Scientists are celebrating a new technique that lets them study the fatty contents of cancer cells, [...]
Antibiotic Breakthrough: Revolutionary Chinese Study Paves Way for Superbug Defeating Drugs
New research reveals that fluorous lipopetides act as highly effective antibiotics. Bacterial infections resistant to multiple drugs, which no existing antibiotics can treat, represent a significant worldwide challenge. A research group from China has [...]
Signs of Multiple Sclerosis Show Up in Blood Years Before Symptoms Appear
UCSF scientists clear a potential path toward earlier treatment for a disease that affects nearly 1,000,000 people in the United States. By Levi Gadye In a discovery that could hasten treatment for patients with multiple [...]
Advanced RNA Sequencing Reveals the Drivers of New COVID Variants
A study reveals that a new sequencing technique, tARC-seq, can accurately track mutations in SARS-CoV-2, providing insights into the rapid evolution and variant development of the virus. The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID has the unsettling [...]
No More Endless Boosters? Scientists Develop One-for-All Virus Vaccine
End of the line for endless boosters? Researchers at UC Riverside have developed a new vaccine approach using RNA that is effective against any strain of a virus and can be used safely even by babies or the immunocompromised. Every [...]
How Are Hydrogels Shaping the Future of Biomedicine?
Hydrogels have gained widespread recognition and utilization in biomedical engineering, with their applications dating back to the 1960s when they were first used in contact lens production. Hydrogels are distinguished from other biomaterials in [...]
Nanovials method for immune cell screening uncovers receptors that target prostate cancer
A recent UCLA study demonstrates a new process for screening T cells, part of the body's natural defenses, for characteristics vital to the success of cell-based treatments. The method filters T cells based on [...]
New Research Reveals That Your Sense of Smell May Be Smarter Than You Think
A new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience indicates that the sense of smell is significantly influenced by cues from other senses, whereas the senses of sight and hearing are much less affected. A popular [...]
Deadly bacteria show thirst for human blood: the phenomenon of bacterial vampirism
Some of the world's deadliest bacteria seek out and feed on human blood, a newly-discovered phenomenon researchers are calling "bacterial vampirism." A team led by Washington State University researchers has found the bacteria are [...]
Organ Architects: The Remarkable Cells Shaping Our Development
Finding your way through the winding streets of certain cities can be a real challenge without a map. To orient ourselves, we rely on a variety of information, including digital maps on our phones, [...]
Novel hydrogel removes microplastics from water
Microplastics pose a great threat to human health. These tiny plastic debris can enter our bodies through the water we drink and increase the risk of illnesses. They are also an environmental hazard; found [...]
Researchers Discover New Origin of Deep Brain Waves
Understanding hippocampal activity could improve sleep and cognition therapies. Researchers from the University of California, Irvine’s biomedical engineering department have discovered a new origin for two essential brain waves—slow waves and sleep spindles—that are critical for [...]
The Lifelong Cost of Surviving COVID: Scientists Uncover Long-Term Effects
Many of the individuals released to long-term acute care facilities suffered from conditions that lasted for over a year. Researchers at UC San Francisco studied COVID-19 patients in the United States who survived some of the longest and [...]
Previously Unknown Rogue Immune Key to Chronic Viral Infections Discovered
Scientists discovered a previously unidentified rogue immune cell linked to poor antibody responses in chronic viral infections. Australian researchers have discovered a previously unknown rogue immune cell that can cause poor antibody responses in [...]
Nature’s Betrayal: Unmasking Lead Lurking in Herbal Medicine
A case of lead poisoning due to Ayurvedic medicine use demonstrates the importance of patient history in diagnosis and the need for public health collaboration to prevent similar risks. An article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association [...]