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UW scientists find cancer ‘switch’

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by Nick Penzenstadler

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

A team of University of Wisconsin researchers recently discovered a significant process that could help scientists to better understand the spread of cancer cells in a person's body.

Led by Richard Anderson, a pharmacology professor in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, the team found that the same mechanisms controlling the movement of cancer cells throughout the body also bind them tightly together.

Calling it the "switch" to cancer-cell movement in the body, Anderson said the enzyme called "PIP kinase," which governs cancer-cell growth, also dictates the production of the "E-cadherin" protein, which restricts cancer-cell migration by holding the cells together.

"It's schizophrenic — it has two roles (and) when one role is turned on it keeps them from being metastastic and when the other role is turned on it is metastatic," Anderson said. "So it's a switch whether a cancer will be a couch potato or track star; that's why it's so important."

According to Anderson, the "E-cadherin" protein is present in 75 percent of all human cells, particularly those that have a huge growth potential, such as breast, ovarian and gastric cancer cells.

With its "dual personality," Anderson said the "PIP kinase" enzyme controls migration of those cancer cells.

"We've shown that this PIP kinase enzyme is required for holding cells together," Anderson said. "And the reason that is exciting is that it's the exact same enzyme [that] controls movement."

Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the team's study was published in the Jan. 29 edition of the Journal of Cell Biology.

According to Howard Bailey, associate director of the UW Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center, the main problem with any cancer occurs when a benign growth becomes malignant and begins to spread.

The team's research focuses on this important point in the progression of cancer, according to Norman Drinkwater, chair of the UW oncology department.

"Without the spread of the cancer beyond its original site it would be much more treatable," Drinkwater said. "Many of the problems have shown up when cancer spreads when it is being treated."

Anderson said he is studying a large patient group to see if there is a market for therapeutic treatment for the life-threatening effects of cancer. Ultimately, he said, they will attempt drug production to block the dangerous migration of cancer cells.

Bailey said Anderson is important to the future of cancer treatments with the contribution of his research.

"He looks at why and how cells have the ability to spread and invade into things — which is the nature of cancer," Bailey said. "Then the rest of us figure out how to apply what he has learned, to develop treatments, or help better predict [cancer]."

According to Bailey, Anderson is one of 200 Cancer Center members who assist in research, adding that the system established at UW is common around the nation.

"At the heart of any big university cancer center is taking those basic science discoveries and then trying to apply that to people," Bailey said. "[To] improve our ability to treat and prevent and take care of people."

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