Gene finding could help kill cancer cells
Thursday September 17th, 2009
British scientists have discovered a gene that triggers production of a blood cell that may help destroy cancer cells.
So-called Natural Killer cells are a type of white blood cell essential to the immune system. They scan the body for cells that are cancerous or infected and destroy them.
Dr Hugh Brady of Imperial College London, UK, and colleagues report in the journal Nature Immunology that the gene E4bp4 is "the primary driver that causes blood stem cells to differentiate into Natural Killer cells".
They believe that this discovery could lead to a treatment to boost the body's production of Natural Killer cells, and destroy cancer cells.
In their study, the team used mice which were altered to lack the E4bp4 gene. These animals produced all the usual blood cells apart from Natural Killer cells.
Dr Brady said: "Scientists have suspected that the vital disease-fighting Natural Killer cells could themselves be behind a number of serious medical conditions, when they malfunction.
"Now finally, with our discovery of the Natural Killer cell master gene and subsequent creation of our mouse model, we will be able to find out if the progression of these diseases is impeded or aided by the removal of Natural Killer cells from the equation.
"This will solve the often-debated question of whether Natural Killer cells are always the 'good guys', or if in certain circumstances they cause more harm than good."
The team now plan to test a new drug which reacts with the protein expressed by E4bp4, causing the production of a higher number of Natural Killer cells than normal, to increase the chance of successfully destroying tumours.
Gascoyne, D. M. et al. The basic leucine zipper transcription factor E4BP4 is essential for natural killer cell development. Nature Immunology, published online September 13, 2009.
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