Scientists in Scotland have made a significant breakthrough in understanding how certain aggressive cancers grow, paving the way for potentially new and safer treatments for bowel and liver cancers.
The Hijacked Pathway
The research, led by experts at the University of Glasgow and the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute, focused on a critical biological signalling system known as the WNT pathway. This system normally tells cells in the body when and where they should not grow, acting as a crucial brake on cell division.
However, the team discovered that specific genetic faults allow cancers to hijack this very system. Instead of suppressing growth, the corrupted WNT pathway is exploited by tumours, instructing them to proliferate uncontrollably.
Pinpointing the Key Protein
By studying genes in bowel and liver tissue to understand why cancers develop specifically there, the scientists identified a protein called nucleophosmin (NPM1) as a central player. Their findings, published in the prestigious journal Nature Genetics, reveal that NPM1 is found at high levels in bowel cancer and some liver cancers due to these genetic errors in the WNT pathway.
NPM1 is involved in controlling cell growth, and its overabundance appears to be a key driver for these malignancies. Crucially, the researchers found that this protein is not essential for the health of normal adult tissues.
A Promising New Therapeutic Target
This distinction makes NPM1 an exceptionally promising target for new drugs. Blocking NPM1 could be a safe way to treat certain hard-to-treat cancers without causing widespread damage to healthy cells.
Lead researcher Professor Owen Sansom, Director of the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute, explained the mechanism: 'If NPM1 is removed, cancer cells struggle to make proteins properly and this allows a tumour suppressor to activate, preventing cancer growth.'
The urgent need for such advances is clear. Almost 24,000 people die from bowel or liver cancer each year in the UK, and incidence is rising. Professor Sansom emphasised the importance of the discovery: 'Increasing numbers of people are affected by these cancers, so finding a new way to tackle these cancers is crucial.'
While the immediate focus is on bowel and liver cancers, the team is hopeful that their findings could eventually aid in the treatment of other cancer types that exploit similar biological pathways.
