Camelia Bhattacharyya, Amity University Kolkata
Breast cancer, a term which scares most women, a type of cancer which changes the life of a patient even those who are survivors, is a much-studied and researched topic around the globe. The early symptoms might include the appearance of a lump at any portion of the breast, blood discharge from the nipples and even the change in the shape of the breasts and the nipples of the patients. While early detection of cancer gives everyone the hope for a better cure, there must be ways to treat those detected with this disease at a later stage, especially those who by the course of time have become resistant towards treatment.
Researchers from the USA have recently found a new way to deal with the situation. For a very long time, it was observed that the body of patients is prone to be resistant towards the epidermal growth receptor 2 (HER2)-kinase inhibitors as well as the targeted antibody treatments which are commonly used in human HERS2-amplified breast cancers. The fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) forms a complex with neuropilins (NRPs) and this complex and the concentration of the FGFR1 increases due to the induction of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) thus causing the disease resistance. The study has shown that the inhibition of the bromodomain-containing 4 (BRD4) could decrease the level of NRPs which further leads to the decrease in the FGFR1-NRP complex as well as the level of FGFR1. This helps in treating patients who are resistant to regular therapy.
Thus, FGFR-targeted kinase inhibitors if used directly in place, can help those patients with breast cancer who are unlike to respond to common treatments.
Also read: Pregnancy specific β-1-glycoproteins on Th17 polarization of CD4+ cells
Source: Abdullah, A., Akhand, S.S., Paez, J.S.P. et al. Epigenetic targeting of neuropilin-1 prevents bypass signalling in drug-resistant breast cancer. Oncogene (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-020-01530-6
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