Thaindian News

Washington, April 23 (ANI): University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists studying a worm have come closer to a protein associated with a number of different human cancers, which may point to a highly targeted way to treat them.

They were studying the worm protein called TFG-1, which is present in many cell types but whose exact role had never been understood. They discovered that the protein controls key aspects of the movement, or secretion, of growth factors out of cells.

“TFG-1 has never been implicated in the secretory process before,” said Anjon Audhya, an assistant professor of biomolecular chemistry in the School of Medicine and Public Health.

“It turns out that humans carry a very similar protein, and we think it plays the same role in humans as in worms,” he said.

Reviewing the scientific literature, the researchers found that the gene encoding TFG in humans is fused to at least three other genes implicated in anaplastic large cell lymphoma, papillary thyroid carcinoma and extraskeletal chondrosarcoma.

The fusions occur when two broken or rearranged pieces of DNA combine to form a “chimeric” gene with completely distinct properties.

Audhya’s studies of TFG-1 in the worm led him to develop a model that explains how TFG fusions may stimulate cancer in humans.

He proposes that abnormal levels of growth factor secretion may produce a rich micro-environment that helps tumors form and thrive.

“We think certain properties of TFG lead it to be a very effective precursor oncogene,” Audhya said.

Through their genetic studies, the Wisconsin researchers found that TFG-1 in the worm controls vesicle formation and secretion out of the ER.

The scientists demonstrated that human TFG also functions at ER exit sites, which contain a characterized scaffolding protein called Sec16, and likely regulates secretion of multiple cargoes out of cells.

The study was published in the current issue of Nature Cell Biology. (ANI)