I found a ‘bad protein’ that proliferates cancer cells… Anticipation of the development of new anticancer drugs
Yonsei University Professor Seo Joon-young Research Team
Proof of biperin metabolism control function, etc.
| Joon-Young Seo is a professor at the Department of Biomedical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine. /Photo courtesy of Yonsei University |
The regulatory mechanism of proteins derived from innate immunity that promote cancer cell proliferation, growth, and survival has been identified. Accordingly, the development of new anti-cancer therapies is expected.
A research team led by Professor Joon-Young Seo of the Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine recently announced that they had identified the cancer metabolism control function and mechanism of action of biperin, a protein expressed by interferon known to cause anticancer immunity. The results of this study were published in the latest issue of the International Journal of Clinical Research.
In the process of forming cancer tissue, unlike normal cells, cancer cells have the characteristics of changing metabolism so that they can proliferate, grow, metastasize, and survive even under adverse conditions such as nutrient deficiency and limited oxygen.
The research team studied the cancer metabolism control function and mechanism of action of ‘Viperin’, one of the interferon-inducing proteins.
First, the research team confirmed that biperin expression was high in various types of cancer tissues. Biperin expression was high in cancer tissues of stomach cancer (288 cases), lung cancer (230 cases), breast cancer (1981 cases), kidney cancer (443 cases), pancreatic cancer (184 cases), and brain cancer patients (206 cases). The higher the number, the lower the survival rate of cancer patients.
To confirm the metabolic control function of biperin in cancer cells, the research team created and analyzed cancer cell lines that suppressed or highly expressed biperin.
As a result of the analysis, it was found that the expression of biperin was induced not only by interferon, but also by oxygen and nutrient deficiency in the cancer microenvironment, promoting energy metabolism and fatty acid synthesis in cancer cells, enabling cancer cells to proliferate and survive.
In particular, it was confirmed that biperin is expressed in cancer stem cells that are resistant to anticancer drugs and can differentiate into various cancer cells, promoting metabolic changes and improving the characteristics of cancer stem cells. This function of biperin was confirmed to promote tumor growth in xenograft mouse experimental models.
Professor Joonyoung Seo said, “We identified a new mechanism in which biferin protein, which is expressed by interferon known to cause anticancer immunity, regulates cancer stem cells and cancer cell metabolism to promote cancer proliferation, growth, and survival.” Through this, it is expected that it will be possible to overcome the limitations of existing anti-cancer treatments and develop treatments that target cancer metabolism.”
Editor Jang Ik-kyung
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