Protein 'switch' suppresses skin cancer development

Protein ikkalpha (ikk α) plays an important role in cell cycle control and abandonment skin cells from the University of Texas researchers maintain that these malicious expertise to MD Anderson Cancer Center report in the September 9 issue is cancer.

"We have noticed that the role of α ikk Sentry, monitoring and if necessary to stop the spread of these important cells, the first mouse model, the kind of squamous cell cancer has been deleted ikk also found naturally induce the epidermis growth factor active α Receptor path, "said senior author Dr. yinling Hungary, associate professor of cancer at MD Anderson's Department of Science - Research Division smithville, Texas. "These results provide new therapeutic targets for the prevention of skin cancer."

The base layer of skin cells originate from the surface of the epidermis, to replace an abandonment barn. Gradually moving up through the skin layer, abandonment, they will eventually form the top layer of skin is squamous cells differentiate into. Cycle through the end of the terminal differentiation of the cells lose their ability to reproduce by dividing into two. They eventually die.
Hungary's research and colleagues reported last year, causing a reduction ikk α chemical representation and facilitate the development of yudujong cancer, benign and malignant tumors of epithelial respectively. Epithelial cells lining the outer layer of skin and the internal makeup of many organs, lungs, stomach, including reproductive and urine booklet. Most of the epithelial cells of the female organs occurs. Studies are still proving α ikk genes that suppress cancer development is required.

At the bottom are described in various human α ikk including squamous cell cancer of the skin, esophagus, lung and head and neck.

s role in maintaining the skin ikk α homeostasis, or stability, remains the appropriate use of the mouse models are uncertain because of sueopseup. To solve this problem, Liu bigang, the first author, and colleagues generated mice ikk α removal of abandonment.

A series of experiments, Hu's group found evidence that α ikk ability to monitor the spread of skin cells, Sentry, and then induce terminal differentiation. One experiment, a few days of birth, the mutant mice gradually develop thick skin and wrinkles and retarded development. Although the study also found that α go on a low level of ikk normal epidermis is sufficiently developed to allow the fetus's skin.

Signaling path to investigate the collapse involved in research and overproliferation α - ikk to the lack of cell differentiation. One, they found a loop that cellular signals rejection ikk α and other development factors previously found to activate egfr discrimination and to control the proliferation of skin cells.

Another experiment showed that the skin and cause cancer ikk α to delete inactive mutant mice in the process of abandonment egfr the opposite. In addition, egfr jaeso show or one of the inactive ikk α prohibit excessive cell division, induce terminal differentiation, to prevent skin cancer and the egfr - driven signal to suppress the loop.

Hungary for a group of ikk α concluded that the spread of a switch, discrimination and skin essential for maintaining homeostasis, or stability and to prevent skin cancer.

"This research shows the importance of maintaining homeostasis skin cancer prevention, ikk α, as well as the mechanism of how this process Acts ikk α," said Hungary. "We will investigate how to delete the goal of α ikk a single cancer cell startups, which distance is a new cancer treatment."