It’s been long known that dying cancer cells give off chemical signals that help other tumor cells survive. Now, researchers have identified one of the key ways this happens.
The findings, published in the journal Nature, could lead to new ways to prevent or treat cancer.
Previous research had shown that a protein called CCL2 is secreted by dying cancer cells. This protein binds to a receptor on nearby cells, known as CCR2.
When the two proteins bind, it triggers a signaling pathway that helps the neighboring cells survive.
In the new study, researchers used a technique called mass spectrometry to identify the specific molecular changes that occur when CCL2 binds to CCR2.
They found that CCL2 binding leads to the phosphorylation, or activation, of a protein called AKT1.
AKT1 is a key component of a signaling pathway that helps cells survive.
Inhibiting AKT1 could potentially prevent cancer cells from receiving the survival signals they need to survive.
The findings could also lead to new ways to target CCL2, which could potentially enhance the effectiveness of existing treatments.
Colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Each year, more than 50,000 people die from the disease.
The new findings could help to improve the survival rates of people with colon cancer.
In the meantime, there are several things you can do to reduce your risk of developing colon cancer.
These include maintaining a healthy weight, eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits, and getting regular exercise.
Tumor cells are able to send out chemical signals that tell nearby cells how to best survive and proliferate, according to new research from the University of Michigan.
The findings, published in the journal Cancer Cell, could have implications for the development of new treatments for colon cancer and other cancers.
“We found that dying tumor cells leave behind a molecular legacy that promotes the survival of their neighbors,” says study author Wei Xu, Ph.D., an assistant professor of molecular, cellular, and developmental biology at the University of Michigan.
Xu and his colleagues conducted their research using a mouse model of colon cancer. They found that when tumor cells died, they released a protein called interleukin-6 (IL-6).
IL-6 is a cytokine, a type of protein that plays a role in the immune system. Cytokines can promote the growth and survival of cells.
The researchers found that IL-6 was able to promote the proliferation of nearby colon cancer cells. Furthermore, IL-6 was also able to increase the resistance of colon cancer cells to chemotherapy.
“These findings suggest that when tumor cells die, they leave behind a ‘survival kit’ for their neighbors,” Xu says.
The findings could have implications for the development of new treatments for colon cancer.
“If we can find a way to target and inhibit IL-6, we may be able to reduce the tumor’s ability to grow and spread,” Xu says.
