A team of researchers from The Scripps Research Institue (TSRI) have discovered that a protein once thought to inhibit tumor growth is actually key to start the growth of a tumor. (http://www.news-medical.net/news/20130905/TSRI-scientists-discover-isoform-of-angiomotin-protein-responsible-for-tumorigenesis.aspx) The discovery of the angiomotin protein being essential to tumor growth has changed both past and future studies of tumors. Many studies that have been done in the past have shown that angiomtin inhibits the Yes-associated protein (YAP), which helps prevent the growth of tumors.(http://genesdev.cshlp.org/content/25/1/51.full)
This new discovery will have a major affect on how researchers study tumors, and ultimately change the way doctors treat tumors. Studying the angiomotin protein can help researchers understand how to possibly stop tumor growth before it can spread.
I feel like the researchers took a slap to the face when they realized that the protein that they formerly believed to be a tumor growth inhibitor, was actually inhibiting the real protein that inhibits tumor growth.
ReplyDeleteNonetheless, these findings are still very interesting and will remain of interest as more studies go on.
This is what makes science fun! Finding out that previous results/conclusions could be completely wrong, and going back to the drawing board to start over and find a new possible answer!
I wonder if their is a problem in the regulation of this protein. It's interesting that they first thought that this protein could prevent cancer but now can actually cause it. I wonder if something else is affecting the protein or maybe they just intepreted the data wrong the first time. Either or, it's a quite interesting story.
ReplyDeleteWhy did they think that this protein suppressed tumors? Was there experimental evidence? If so, what was flawed about those experiments?
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