Blocking a Protein Halts Tumor Growth

Ovarian tumors seem to thrive in the presence of high levels of a protein known as TG2, short for tissue type transglutaminase. And the more advanced they are, the more TG2 there is. But blocking production of the protein in mice reverses the tumors' growth. In fact, researchers at the University of Texas' M.D. Anderson Cancer Center found that ovarian tumors, even in their advanced stages, could be shrunk by an average of 86 percent if a biochemical known as siRNA (a tiny strand of ribonucleic acid incorporated in small fat particles injected intravenously) was used together with the chemotherapy drug docetaxel.

"Ovarian cancer often becomes resistant to chemotherapy and frequently spreads within the abdominal cavity," especially if the cancer tissue produces high levels of TG2, said Anil Sood, professor in M.D. Anderson's departments of Gynecologic Oncology and Cancer Biology, who led the research team. "Although TG2 seems to play a part in many steps involved in cancer growth, we had little information about its role in ovarian cancer until this study."

The study looked at 93 samples of ovarian cancer in mice. Researchers halted TG2 production using siRNA. Tumor growth stopped, and the malignancies shrank. "We cannot predict if these results will be the same in humans, but in the future, we hope that the blocking of TG2 with siRNA may be an effective treatment in advanced ovarian cancer," said Sood.

 He and his co-workers are planning to create an initial clinical trial using siRNA to block TG2 in ovarian and pancreatic cancers. "TG2 does so many different things," said Kapil Mehta, a colleague of Sood's. "Normally, you would have to develop a small-molecule drug to block each function. Using siRNA is exciting, because it completely blocks everything TG2 does in one process."


Disclaimer

Featured Doctors

Breast Cancer Surgery Bronxville, Westchester County, New York

Dr. Preya Ananthakrishnan, M.D.
Preya Ananthakrishnan, M.D.

Lawrence Hospital Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Colon Cancer Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Lawrence Hospital Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Dr. Alfred Rosenbaum
Alfred Rosenbaum

Eastchester Center for Cancer Care
2330 Eastchester Road
Bronx, NY 10469

Call: (888) 860-7136

Oncologist

Dr. Michael Castro
Michael Castro

Personalized Cancer Medicine, PLLC
1329 Lusitana St. Suite 609
Honolulu, HI 96813

Call: (808) 521-0100

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Cancer Treatment Center

 Cancer Hospital in PA
Cancer Hospital in PA

Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1331 East Wyoming Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19124

Call: 800-821-6032

Find a Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Alfred Rosenbaum
Alfred Rosenbaum

Eastchester Center for Cancer Care
2330 Eastchester Road
Bronx, NY 10469

Call: (888) 860-7136

Goodyear, Arizona Cancer Treatment Center

 Cancer Hospital Near Phoenix
Cancer Hospital Near Phoenix

Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Goodyear, Arizona
14200 W. Fillmore Street
Goodyear, AZ 85338

Call: 800-434-4215

Find a Radiation Oncologist -Westchester

Dr. Lucia Boselli
Lucia Boselli

Eastchester Center for Cancer Care
2330 Eastchester Road
Bronx, NY 10469

Call: (888) 860-7136

Neck Surgery Westchester, NY 10530

Dr. Bennie Chiles
Bennie Chiles

Westchester Spine and Brain Surgery, PLLC
280 N. Central Ave Suite 235
Hartsdale, NY 10530

Call: 914-332-0396

Texas Colonoscopy Centers

 The Texas Colonoscopy Centers
The Texas Colonoscopy Centers

The MicroSurgery Institute

,

Call: 888-493-1243

Breast Cancer Center Bronxville, Westchester County, New York

Dr. Preya Ananthakrishnan, M.D.
Preya Ananthakrishnan, M.D.

Lawrence Hospital Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Nipple-Preserving Mastectomy Bronxville, Westchester County, New York

 The Columbia University Comprehensive Breast Center at Lawrence Hospital
The Columbia University Comprehensive Breast Center at Lawrence Hospital

Lawrence Hospital Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

oncology

RecoverNow

,

Call: 888-798-5181

Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Dr. Alfred Rosenbaum
Alfred Rosenbaum

Eastchester Center for Cancer Care
2330 Eastchester Road
Bronx, NY 10469

Call: (888) 860-7136

Skin Cancer Westchester, NY

Dr. Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.
Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.

Westchester Oncology & Hematology
19 Bradhurst Avenue
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: 888-370-4284

Find a Radiation Oncologist -Westchester

Dr. Lucia Boselli
Lucia Boselli

Eastchester Center for Cancer Care
2330 Eastchester Road
Bronx, NY 10469

Call: (888) 860-7136

Colon Cancer Westchester, NY

Dr. Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.
Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.

Westchester Oncology & Hematology
19 Bradhurst Avenue
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: 888-370-4284

Find a Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Alfred Rosenbaum
Alfred Rosenbaum

Eastchester Center for Cancer Care
2330 Eastchester Road
Bronx, NY 10469

Call: (888) 860-7136

Colon Cancer Treatment Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Lawrence Hospital Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Chemotherapy Bronx

Dr Fabio Volterra
Fabio Volterra

Eastchester Center for Cancer Care
2330 Eastchester Road
Bronx, NY 10469

Call: (888) 860-7136

Breast Cancer Surgeon Westchester, New York

 The Columbia University Comprehensive Breast Center at Lawrence Hospital
The Columbia University Comprehensive Breast Center at Lawrence Hospital

Lawrence Hospital Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Cancer Treatment Center NY

Dr. Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.
Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.

Westchester Oncology & Hematology
19 Bradhurst Avenue
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: 888-370-4284

Medical Oncologist Westchester NY

Dr. Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.
Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.

Westchester Oncology & Hematology
19 Bradhurst Avenue
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: 888-370-4284