Advances in Applied Cellular Analysis * Researchers Describe Mechanism that Underlies Cancer Metastasis
The study ("Beta 1-Integrin-c-Met Cooperation
Reveals an Inside-In Survival Signalling on
Autophagy-Related Endomembranes"), published in
Nature Communications, examined the changes
that occur in cancer cells as they break away from
tumors in cell cultures, zebrafish, and mice. The
researchers revealed a previously unknown survival
mechanism in cancer cells and found that integrins could be key. These proteins on the cell surface
attach to and interact with the cell's surroundings.
"Outside-in" and "inside-out" signaling by integrins
This metastasis animation shows the primary tumor.
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| GENengnews.com
Barts Cancer Institute, QMUL
A new strategy could be to
prevent the integrin from
going inside the cell in the
first place. The researchers
hope that these insights
could lead to the design
of better therapies against
metastasis.
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