Cancer will only be defeated one cancer type at a time and even then it may have to be defeated in several different ways to accomodate for the differences in the genetic makeup of the individual and the particular cancer. Neurofibromatosis type 2 is an inherited form of cancer with no known cure. It is caused by mutations in the anti-tumor gene NF2. This leads to tumors of the auditory nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain. Researchers showed the drug candidate - known as FRAX97 - slowed the proliferation and progression of tumor cells in animal models of Neurofibromatosis type 2. This drug targets a protein family known as p21-activated kinases or PAKs. These kinases (enzymes that add a phosphate group to other proteins and change their function) play a critical role in the development of Neurofibromatosis type 2. PAK1 has also been implicated in the growth of breast and lung cancers. "Our study shows that if we inhibit these kinases we can counter the formation of tumors in this brain disease," said Joseph Kissil, a TSRI associate professor who led the study. "This inhibitor turned out to be both potent and highly selective," he said. "The real question is why. We were able to show that it works through a unique mechanism."
Posted on: Sun, 06 Oct 2013 11:56:55 +0000
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