英國(guó)倫敦大學(xué)瑪麗女王學(xué)院的研究人員最近發(fā)現(xiàn),，蛋氨酸（Met）分子位置偏差,，會(huì)刺激癌細(xì)胞生長(zhǎng)和擴(kuò)散，一旦給其重新定位,，則可有效阻止癌細(xì)胞的生長(zhǎng),。這一發(fā)現(xiàn)有助于科學(xué)家開發(fā)新藥治療惡性腫瘤。
蛋氨酸是人體必需的氨基酸之一,，與細(xì)胞的生長(zhǎng)關(guān)系密切,。研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，在許多不同類型的癌癥腫瘤中,，都有蛋氨酸的身影,，而且蛋氨酸水平越高，腫瘤的侵害性就越強(qiáng),。鑒于此,，有科學(xué)家試圖通過阻斷蛋氨酸分子的功能來治療癌癥，但實(shí)際效果并不是很好,。
英國(guó)倫敦大學(xué)瑪麗女王學(xué)院的研究人員通過研究發(fā)現(xiàn),，蛋氨酸分子之所以會(huì)刺激癌細(xì)胞的生長(zhǎng)和擴(kuò)散，是因?yàn)樗鼈兊奈恢贸霈F(xiàn)了偏差：通常是在細(xì)胞之外的蛋氨酸分子出現(xiàn)在了癌細(xì)胞內(nèi)部,；如果將其從細(xì)胞內(nèi)部移至細(xì)胞表面,，就可以阻止癌細(xì)胞的生長(zhǎng),。研究人員在實(shí)驗(yàn)中通過化學(xué)方法對(duì)實(shí)驗(yàn)小鼠癌細(xì)胞中的蛋氨酸分子進(jìn)行重置，結(jié)果不僅成功地阻止了腫瘤生長(zhǎng),，還使得腫瘤出現(xiàn)萎縮,。
研究人員表示，目前這一研究還處于早期階段,，但其前景看好,，使用化學(xué)手段阻止蛋氨酸分子進(jìn)入癌細(xì)胞內(nèi)部將會(huì)是一個(gè)可行的癌癥治療方法，據(jù)此開發(fā)的新藥或許會(huì)成為未來治療惡性腫瘤的利器,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原文出處：
Nature Cell Biology DOI:10.1038/ncb2257
A direct role for Met endocytosis in tumorigenesis
Carine Joffre; Rachel Barrow; Ludovic Ménard; Véronique Calleja; Ian R. Hart; Stéphanie Kermorgant
Compartmentalization of signals generated by receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) endocytosis has emerged as a major determinant of various cell functions. Here, using tumour-associated Met-activating mutations, we demonstrate a direct link between endocytosis and tumorigenicity. Met mutants exhibit increased endocytosis/recycling activity and decreased levels of degradation, leading to accumulation on endosomes, activation of the GTPase Rac1, loss of actin stress fibres and increased levels of cell migration. Blocking endocytosis inhibited mutants’ anchorage-independent growth, in vivo tumorigenesis and metastasis while maintaining their activation. One mutant resistant to inhibition by a Met-specific tyrosine kinase inhibitor was sensitive to endocytosis inhibition. Thus, oncogenicity of Met mutants results not only from activation but also from their altered endocytic trafficking, indicating that endosomal signalling may be a crucial mechanism regulating RTK-dependent tumorigenesis.
