Cancer-causing protein pathway identified

Researchers have discovered a protein pathway that causes two common forms of cancer, neuroblastoma (the most common tumour of infants) and breast cancer.

In these cancers, levels of the Myc proteins are commonly elevated within tumour cells. High levels of the protein are also associated with poor treatment outcomes; however, the way in which these proteins cause cancer has remained unknown.

Published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA, researchers at Children’s Cancer Institute Australia for Medical Research (CCIA) and their collaborators in Italy describe how the Myc proteins lead to tumour formation.

“Our results show that Myc proteins cause cancer by switching off genes involved in cancer prevention, such as transglutaminase 2 (TG2),” said Prof Glenn Marshall, head of CCIA’s Molecular Carcinogenesis Program.

“We have also shown that when the neuroblastoma and breast cancer cells are treated with a new class of anti-cancer drugs called HDACIs, they are able to turn the TG2 gene back on, which then inhibits tumour growth.

“This work highlights the importance of HDACIs for the treatment of cancers caused by the high levels of Myc proteins,” he said.