A research team led by Professor Tatsuto Igaki of Kyoto University discovered that a cell surface protein called Sas is required for the elimination of cancer cells.There is a possibility of developing a new cancer treatment method that eliminates only cancer cells from the tissue.

 It has been known for about 10 years that cells that cause cancer are excluded from tissues when they are surrounded by normal cells.This is called "cell competition" and is currently receiving worldwide attention.However, the mechanism by which normal cells recognize and eliminate cancer cells remains unclear.

 This time, we searched for a gene mutation in which mutant cells that cause cancer are generated in the eye tissue of Drosophila, and at the same time, the functions of various genes are destroyed one by one on the normal cell side, and the mutant cells cannot be eliminated.As a result, it was found that when the gene encoding a protein called Sas is disrupted in normal cells, mutant cells are not eliminated.

 Sas is a protein that exists on the cell surface and can change the properties of adjacent cells by binding to the surface proteins of adjacent cells.In cancer cells, a protein called EGFR and JNK (protein kinase) are activated at the same time to enhance cell proliferation and viability.However, it was found that when Sas in normal cells binds to and activates PTP10D in cancer cells, EGFR in the cancer cells is inactivated, and the growth and viability of the cancer cells are significantly reduced.

 It has been reported that a protein similar to PTP10D acts suppressively on human cancer.If the mechanism discovered this time is also working in humans, it is expected to develop a new cancer treatment method using the cell exclusion phenomenon.In the future, the role of Sas and PTP10D will be elucidated and verified using mammalian cells.

Kyoto University

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With the motto of self-study, we will continue to maintain a free academic style that is not bound by common sense, and develop human resources who have both creativity and practical ability.We provide an inclusive learning space that allows for diverse and hierarchical choices so that students themselves can choose a solid future through valuable trial and error. […]

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