Controlling Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) Protein Kills Cancer Cells Study Shows
A study[1][2] published in the Cell journal on September 24, 2015 showed a new drug holds promise for curing cancer. The researchers in the study indicated that cancer cells use the Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) protein to avoid attacks by the immune system.
The body normally uses the FAK protein to support healthy cell growth and transportation. Cancer cells are able to manipulate the FAK protein’s normal role in supporting healthy cell proliferation, and use the protein to change immune system’s response to help the survival of cancer cells instead of killing them.
The researchers found that the cancer cells’ manipulation of the FAK protein promoted tumor evasion by inducing an “immuno-suppressive microenvironment.” The FAK protein was used to transcribe chemokines that recruit Tregs, which inhibit cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and allowed for tumor tolerance and growth.
An experimental FAK inhibitor was used in the study that prevented the manipulation of the immune response and allowed the immune system to see the cancer cells as a threat and kill them.
Dr. Alan Serrels, researcher in the study, said:
FAK is hi-jacked by cancer cells to protect them from the immune system. This exciting research reveals that by blocking FAK, we’ve now found a promising new way to help the immune system recognise the cancer and fight it.[3]
The research was done with mice with squamous cell carcinoma skin cancer and all of the tumors were killed using the FAK inhibitor. The treatment is also likely to be successful against other types of cancer.
[1] Nuclear FAK Controls Chemokine Transcription, Tregs, and Evasion of Anti-tumor Immunity
[2] Nuclear FAK Controls Chemokine Transcription, Tregs, and Evasion of Anti-tumor Immunity – Full
[3] Promising drugs turn immune system on cancer
Tags: anti-cancer, cancer awareness
