ID :
64067
Wed, 06/03/2009 - 17:47
Auther :

Scientists find cell aging `marker` that could help combat cancer

By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean scientists on Wednesday announced the
discovery of a cell aging marker that could be used to help combat cancer.
The team from the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences said it
has found that the cathepsine D and eEF1 enzymes can help determine the so-called
"cellular senescence" of tumors. Cellular senescence is the phenomenon in which
normal cells lose the ability to divide and eventually die off.
Cancer cells are dangerous because they do not naturally age or die off like
other cells and can multiply indefinitely.
Causing cancer cells to age prematurely may prove to be a promising strategy in
treating tumors, as it would allow doctors to deal with malignant cell growth
using fewer medications and require patients to undergo less radiation therapy.
Despite such potential, researchers have made little headway in the field because
no effective markers were known to reveal the condition of cancer cells.
"Cathepsine D and eEF1 were extracted from tumors that had been treated with
radiation and chemotherapy and can efficiently determine the aging process of
breast, lung and colon cancers," said Lee Jae-seon, the chief researcher of the
project.
Lee said that since the markers can tell if cancer cells have started aging, died
off or temporarily stopped multiplying, treatment using the enzymes can help
doctors move away from current practices of trying to destroy or kill cancerous
growth.
"The latest discovery can allow doctors to focus on getting cells to age and die
off gradually, requiring far less radiation and drugs," she said.
Lee said her team in the process of winning patent right protection in the United
States.
The discovery by the South Korea team received research funding from the Ministry
of Education, Science and Technology and has been published in the latest issue
of the international journal Cancer Research.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)

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