A new protein that initiates breast cancer

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Canadian scientists have identified a novel protein in the advancement of breast cancer. As per a recent study from the Universit de Montral and the University of Alberta, reported in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, the protein ARF1 plays a critical role in cancer cell growth and the spread of tumours. Targeting this protein with drug treatment may provide hope to women with breast cancer.

"Until now, ARF1 has been linked to harmless albeit important housekeeping duties of cells," says senior author Audrey Claing, a professor of pharmacology at the Universit de Montral. "The Universit de Montral and the University of Alberta team is the first to characterize the role of ARF1 in breast cancer."

Dr. Claing and her colleagues applied invasive breast cancer cell lines to study ARF1's role. These cells are sensitive to a particular growth factor, called epidermal growth factor or EGF, which has previously been demonstrated to stimulate tumour growth and invasion. Their findings suggest that EGF acts upon ARF1 in these cells. In addition, when ARF1 activity was chemically blocked, breast cancer cell migration and growth was reduced. On the other hand, when ARF1 was overproduced in these cells, their movement was enhanced.

"Taken together our findings reveal an unsuspected role for ARF1 and indicate that this small protein appears to be a potential therapeutic target for the therapy of invasive breast cancers," says Dr. Claing, who is a member of the Groupe d'tude des protines membranaires as well a the Groupe de Recherche Universitaire sur le Mdicament, two multidisciplinary research teams dedicated to the study of membrane protein functions and the identification of new therapeutic targets for drug discovery.


Posted by: Janet    Source