![Blocking Invasive Cancer]()
Metastasizing cancer cells leave the primary tumor and invade other parts of the body, leading to a poor prognosis for patients. In a new study, David Shechter, Ph.D., and colleagues show that the TGFβ signaling pathway induces metastasis in lung and breast cancer cells in part by increasing PRMT5 methylation of histone proteins that package DNA, simultaneously increasing or decreasing the expression of key genes involved in making cancer cells invasive. Importantly, the cancer-promoting activity of PRMT5 can be blocked by GSK591, a potent inhibitory compound. Taking advantage of genome-wide studies, the study links TGFβ and PRMT5 for the first time and points to a possible new cancer metastasis treatment strategy. The study was published in June in an online edition of Oncogene. Lead author Hongshan Chen, Ph.D., is a research associate in the Shechter lab. Dr. Shechter is associate professor of biochemistry
Posted on: Tuesday, June 28, 2016