A new study, published by Oxford University, has revealed that aggressive cancer cells manufacture PAT4. PAT4 uses the available cell nutrients from cells, including healthy tissue.
The study focused on developing an antibody used to highlight PAT4 in human tissue samples. This was then used to study anonymous tumor samples taken from patients with colorectal cancer, a common form of the disease.
‘We found that aggressive cancer cells manufacture more PAT4, which enables them to make better use of available nutrients than the cells around them – including healthy tissue, said Dr Goberdhan Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics.
Patients who had an increased level of PAT4 in their tumors; did less well than those with lower levels and had a higher relapse rate with increased mortality rate.
‘These findings support each other. Not only do higher levels of PAT4 mean a worse outcome, but lowering levels improves the situation. This means that we have identified a mechanism, which cancer cells prefer to use and which we might be able to target as part of a combination treatment,” Dr Goberdhan said.
The American Cancer Society’s estimates for the number of colorectal cancer cases in the United States for 2015 are:
• 93,090 new cases of colon cancer
• 39,610 new cases of rectal cancer
Overall, the lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is about 1 in 20 (5%). Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States when men and women are considered separately, and the second leading cause when both sexes are combined. It is expected to cause about 49,700 deaths during 2015.
Colorectal cancer may cause one or more of the symptoms below.
• A change in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation, or narrowing of the stool, that lasts for more than a few days
• A feeling that you need to have a bowel movement that is not relieved by doing so
• Rectal bleeding
• Blood in the stool which may make it look dark
• Cramping or abdominal (belly) pain
• Weakness and fatigue
• Unintended weight loss
The researchers have identified a new cancer treatment target for the future by lowering PAT4 levels. Cancer cells often have restricted access to the body’s nutrient-rich blood supply. The ability to sense and acquire nutrients is critical for aggressive cancer cells.
Source
PAT4 levels control amino-acid sensitivity of rapamycin-resistant mTORC1 from the Golgi and affect clinical outcome in colorectal cancer, S-J Fan et al., Oncogene, doi:10.1038/onc.2015.363, published online 5 October 2015
American Cancer Society
