Fewer stress granules (yellow) occur in cancer cells lacking G3BP1 (right) than in controls (left). Nuclei are labeled blue. Credit: Somasekharan et al., 2015
Tumors that produce more stress granules are more likely to metastasize, according to a study published in The Journal of Cell Biology. The results suggest that drugs to inhibit the formation of these structures might rein in cancer metastasis.
When cells are under duress, they curtail almost all protein synthesis and stash their mRNAs in stress granules. These structures help healthy cells, but they also allow tumor cells to survive harsh conditions. A protein named YB-1, which is overexpressed in many types of tumors, accumulates in stress granules, but researchers don't know how YB-1 affects these particles.
University of British Columbia scientist Poul Sorensen and his colleagues found that stressed-out cancer cells need YB-1 to assemble stress granules. Removing YB-1 decreased levels of one stress granule protein, G3BP1. The team discovered that YB-1 attaches to the mRNA encoding G3BP1 and stimulates the protein's production.
To determine the effects of YB-1 in animals, the researchers implanted mice with cancer cells that either made or lacked the protein. A month later, cells in the control tumors carried more stress granules than did the tumor cells missing YB-1. Sorensen and colleagues then implanted mice with tumors that either produced or lacked G3BP1. The control tumors harbored more stress granules than did the G3BP1-deficient tumors, and only the control tumors metastasized.
Further research is needed to find out how the reduction in stress granules curbs metastatic spread, but the results suggest that inhibiting their formation might be a way to curb cancer metastasis.
Explore further: Jumping genes have essential biological functions
More information: Somasekharan, S.P., et al. 2015. J. Cell Biol. DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201411047
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Fewer stress granules (yellow) occur in cancer cells lacking G3BP1 (right) than in controls (left). Nuclei are labeled blue. Credit: Somasekharan et al., 2015
Tumors that produce more stress granules are more likely to metastasize, according to a study published in The Journal of Cell Biology. The results suggest that drugs to inhibit the formation of these structures might rein in cancer metastasis.
When cells are under duress, they curtail almost all protein synthesis and stash their mRNAs in stress granules. These structures help healthy cells, but they also allow tumor cells to survive harsh conditions. A protein named YB-1, which is overexpressed in many types of tumors, accumulates in stress granules, but researchers don't know how YB-1 affects these particles.
University of British Columbia scientist Poul Sorensen and his colleagues found that stressed-out cancer cells need YB-1 to assemble stress granules. Removing YB-1 decreased levels of one stress granule protein, G3BP1. The team discovered that YB-1 attaches to the mRNA encoding G3BP1 and stimulates the protein's production.
To determine the effects of YB-1 in animals, the researchers implanted mice with cancer cells that either made or lacked the protein. A month later, cells in the control tumors carried more stress granules than did the tumor cells missing YB-1. Sorensen and colleagues then implanted mice with tumors that either produced or lacked G3BP1. The control tumors harbored more stress granules than did the G3BP1-deficient tumors, and only the control tumors metastasized.
Further research is needed to find out how the reduction in stress granules curbs metastatic spread, but the results suggest that inhibiting their formation might be a way to curb cancer metastasis.
Explore further: Jumping genes have essential biological functions
More information: Somasekharan, S.P., et al. 2015. J. Cell Biol. DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201411047
Medical Xpress on facebook
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Destructive enzyme shows a benevolent side
New research shows that a recently discovered enzyme that destroys the messenger RNA (mRNA) for some proteins can also help to protect the mRNA during times of stress. The response might help cancer cells survive chemotherapy ...
Viral infection affects important cells' stress response
Viral infection disrupts the normal response of mammalian cells to outside deleterious forces, cleaving and inactivating a protein called G3BP that helps drive the formation of stress granules, which shelter the messenger ...
A protein provides stress relief for cells
German researchers have shown a new mechanism via which cells defend themselves against stress. Dr. Kathrin Thedieck and Birgit Holzwarth from the Institute of Biology III and the Cluster of Excellence BIOSS ...
Silent RNAs express themselves in ALS disease
RNA molecules, used by cells to make proteins, are generally thought to be "silent" when stowed in cytoplasmic granules. But a protein mutated in some ALS patients forms granules that permit translation of ...
Jumping genes have essential biological functions
"Alu" sequences are small repetitive elements representing about 10% of our genome. Because of their ability to move around the genome, these "jumping genes" are considered as real motors of evolution. However, they were ...
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Smokers at twice risk of prostate cancer recurring after surgery
Current smokers, and those who have quit smoking less than 10 years previously, have twice the risk of a recurrence of prostate cancer after surgery, according to new research presented at the European Association ...
The challenges of diagnosing cancers earlier: a GP's perspective
As GPs, we know that too many of our patients worry about wasting our time – a point underlined by a recent Cancer Research UK-funded study. ...
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