Researchers looking at the behaviour of prostate cancer cells have made a surprising discovery.
Professor Richard Morgan of the University of Bradford, UK, and his team examined the action of a transcription factor protein called EN2, which has many roles, including being expressed in many cancers.
In their study, the team looked at the movement of EN2 in cells by using a green fluorescent tag. This showed it to be present in the cell membrane and able to leave a cell and be absorbed by others.
In healthy cells, EN2 triggers the expression of the MX2 protein which plays a vital role in the immune system’s response to viruses. But prostate cancer cells behave differently, ejecting this protein from their nucleus, and causing nearby cells to absorb it, according to the findings.
This promotes tumour growth while obscuring it from the immune system, the researchers report.
In Scientific Reports yesterday (26 March), the team writes: “Our findings indicate that EN2 secretion by tumours may be a means of preventing viral-mediated immune invasion of tissue immediately adjacent to the tumour.”
Professor Morgan said: “For tumours to survive, grow bigger and spread they need to control the behaviour of cancer cells and the normal cells around them and we’ve found a means by which they do this. Blocking this process could be a potential target for future cancer therapy.
“We think this is significant because cell fusion in cancer is relatively unusual and is associated with very aggressive disease. It can lead to new and unpredictable hybrid cells that are frequently better at spreading to different sites and surviving chemotherapy and radiotherapy.”
Punia, N. et al. Membrane insertion and secretion of the Engrailed-2 (EN2) transcription factor by prostate cancer cells may induce antiviral activity in the stroma. Scientific Reports 26 March 2019 doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-41678-0
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