Biomarker of liver cancer
Protein found for the treatment of cancer and inflammation in the liver
Svetlana Maslova, Hi-tech+
The new biomarker is informative for the diagnosis of precancerous liver diseases, as well as malignant tumors, scientists have found. In addition, it opens the way to new targeted treatments for liver cancer.
Liver cancer is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the incidence of which is increasing among people of all ages due to a sedentary lifestyle and an unbalanced diet. The tumor can occur in conditions of chronic inflammation in the liver, which is caused by excessive accumulation of fat in the organ.
Liver cells under a microscope. On the left, in a healthy liver, hepatocytes are organized normally. The white circles on the right are accumulations of fat in case of fatty disease. Drawing from the press release From obesity to liver cancer: can we prevent the worst? – VM.
Scientists from Geneva have discovered a specific biomarker – the protein S100A11, which is involved in the development of both conditions and can be an effective diagnostic and therapeutic target.
After analyzing a large group of proteins, it turned out that S100A11 promotes inflammation and the formation of fibrous tissue in the liver. Then the scientists found out that the increased expression of S100A11 was associated with more severe forms of the tumor.
It is known that timely diagnosis increases the chances of early detection of cancer. "The presence of S100A11 in a blood sample increases the likelihood of early diagnosis of inflammatory liver diseases and tumors," study co–author Michelangelo Foti explained the significance of the biomarker for cancer screening.
The S100A11 protein is also a promising therapeutic target, the authors emphasized. In the next stages of research, they will test the possibilities of immunotherapy to neutralize the protein. Potentially, this therapy may be effective for the treatment of liver inflammation, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and organ tumors.
The article Sobolewski et al. S100A11/ANXA2 belongs to a tumour suppressor/oncogene network deregulated early with steatosis and involved in inflammation and hepatocellular carcinoma development is published in the Gut journal. you can read it on the website of the University of Geneva.
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