For cells to coordinate complicated processes, like their migration through tissues, networks of proteins must work together. It is now clear that the protein machines that control such processes in cells are extremely complex.
In fact, research into the complex protein machinery that controls cell adhesion is revealing much more about the biology of cells – and diseases like cancer – than we had anticipated.
Networks of adhesion proteins and their interactions in cells
Some cancer treatments target certain proteins in cancer cells to stop the cancer cells growing, dividing and spreading. These targeted therapies have dramatically improved the outcomes of many people with cancer, including those with breast cancer.
Unfortunately, patients can develop resistance to targeted therapies and then the drugs no longer work as they should.
This is a major clinical problem for breast cancer patients, so new approaches to overcome it are desperately needed.
A press release has been issued by Cancer Research UK about a paper from the University of Edinburgh on the protein focal adhesion kinase (or FAK) and how it modulates the immune system in cancer to allow tumour cells to grow.
A class of experimental drug treatments already in clinical trials could also help the body’s immune system to fight cancer.
Targeted cancer therapies – drugs that interfere with specific molecules to block cancer growth and spread – have revolutionised the treatment of certain types of tumour. But tumour cells can become resistant to these therapies, and so patients no longer respond to the drugs.
Herceptin binding to HER2 receptors on breast cancer cells
Adam Byron 