• Study shows critical protein may play a

    From ScienceDaily@1:317/3 to All on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 22:30:44
    Study shows critical protein may play a role in origin of mesothelioma


    Date:
    March 30, 2022
    Source:
    University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
    Summary:
    Researchers have discovered that a protein critical in the embryonic
    stages of life is reactivated in certain cases of mesothelioma,
    offering clues into the origin of this aggressive cancer.



    FULL STORY ========================================================================== Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
    and their international collaborators have discovered that a protein
    critical in the embryonic stages of life is reactivated in certain cases
    of mesothelioma, offering clues into the origin of this aggressive cancer.


    ==========================================================================
    The study published today in the journal Nature Communications.

    "Together with our basic research and clinical collaborators, we have discovered that in numerous mesothelioma tumors, the Hand2 protein
    has been turned back on, possibly altering the cells of the tumor,"
    said Christian Mosimann, PhD, lead author of the study and associate
    professor of pediatrics in the section of developmental biology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine on the CU Anschutz Medical
    Campus. "Now we're investigating what causes this and what makes such mesothelioma tumors different from tumors that do not have Hand2 present." Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that occurs in a thin layer of
    tissue called the mesothelium, which covers most internal organs. Its
    primary cause is exposure to asbestos.

    The Hand2 protein, Mosimann said, binds to genes at the beginning of life
    to control them during cellular development. It usually goes dormant
    in many tissues after an embryo fully develops. The discovery that the
    protein reactivates in some cases of mesothelioma offers the chance to
    possibly manipulate it to influence the course of the disease.

    Mosimann and his team are using zebrafish to study how different
    cell types form because their translucent nature helps them observe
    the entire course of cell development rapidly due to how fast the
    fish grow. Specifically, they have been observing the mesothelium,
    a membrane that already develops in the embryonic stage and covers
    the heart, abdomen, intestines and inner organs, such as the lungs in
    humans. Mosimann described the mesothelium as a protective shrink wrap
    that protects the inner organs.



    ==========================================================================
    The team's work now showed that the Hand2 protein helps in the first
    formation of the mesothelium in the embryo. The researchers then
    observed that mesothelioma tumors in adults can re-activate Hand2,
    possibly enabling these cells to grow and move as they did in the embryo.

    Mesothelioma tumors, which sometimes appear decades after asbestos
    exposure, have been a mystery to medical professionals. This has made
    treatment challenging and the prognosis is usually fatal within a year
    of the diagnosis.

    "What has become apparent over time is that the dust asbestos produces
    is dangerous as it is made of a material that the body cannot break
    down. It can stay in your system and get lodged into your major organs
    like the lungs or heart," Mosimann said.

    Asbestos is a mineral found in many construction and mining environments.

    Mosimann said many countries continue to use asbestos in building
    materials, making mesothelioma a global health concern.

    "Mesothelioma tumors also remain a particular concern in Colorado because
    of all of the years of mining and construction operations that have
    taken place in the state," he said.

    The next step for Mosimann's team is to find out if they can influence the Hand2 protein and eventually create better treatments and therapeutic
    benefits in certain cases of mesothelioma without impacting other
    cellular functions.

    They will also study why not all cases of the cancer involve Hand2.

    By continuing to observe zebrafish and using them to clarify where cells
    come from and what makes them tick, Mosimann and his team not only hope to discover new insights into mesothelioma tumors, but also into the causes
    of congenital problems with the mesothelium when an embryo first develops.

    "This could also eventually lead to better diagnosis and treatment for
    children who are born with conditions like congenital herniation and
    heart disease," he said.


    ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Colorado_Anschutz_Medical_Campus. Original written by
    Laura Kelley. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


    ========================================================================== Journal Reference:
    1. Karin D. Prummel, Helena L. Crowell, Susan Nieuwenhuize, Eline C.

    Brombacher, Stephan Daetwyler, Charlotte Soneson, Jelena
    Kresoja-Rakic, Agnese Kocere, Manuel Ronner, Alexander Ernst,
    Zahra Labbaf, David E.

    Clouthier, Anthony B. Firulli, He'ctor Sa'nchez-Iranzo, Sundar R.

    Naganathan, Rebecca O'Rourke, Erez Raz, Nadia Mercader, Alexa
    Burger, Emanuela Felley-Bosco, Jan Huisken, Mark D. Robinson,
    Christian Mosimann.

    Hand2 delineates mesothelium progenitors and is reactivated
    in mesothelioma. Nature Communications, 2022; 13 (1) DOI:
    10.1038/s41467- 022-29311-7 ==========================================================================

    Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220330103247.htm

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