John Wayne Ties CCR9 to Metastatic Melanoma in GI Tract
Research conducted by the John Wayne Cancer Institute (JWCI) at Saint John’s Health Center indicates the receptor protein CCR9 may promote the spread of melanoma to the small intestine.
Unlike other cancers, melanoma skin cancer commonly metastasizes to the lower bowel and, until recently, scientists were at a loss to explain the connection. JWCI’s study suggests the merging of CCR9 with CCL25 proteins produced in the gastrointestinal tract to fight inflammation may be what’s triggering melanoma migrations to the small intestine.
Using molecular biology and immunostaining techniques, the JWCI scientists were able to locate CCR9 in 88 of 102 metastatic melanomas in the small intestine. In contrast, none of the 96 melanomas which spread to other organs contained CCR9.
The researchers also found they could chemically inhibit the metastatic properties of CCR9-positive melanoma cells using specific substances. This discovery offers hope for developing treatments to target CCR9 so the spread of melanoma to the small intestine can be slowed or prevented — it may also help doctors identify which patients face the greatest risk. As one JWCI scientist explained,
“This is a unique demonstration of signaling, or the attraction of melanoma to a specific distant organ site. If we can identify patients’ melanomas that have these specific receptors, then we’ll know they have a high propensity to metastasize to the small intestine.
Dave S.B. Hoon, PhD
Director, Department of Molecular Oncology, JWCI
Results of the study are published in February 1, 2008, issue of Clinical Cancer Research.
If you’d like additional information on melanoma, you can visit the American Academy of Dermatology web site.
Source: BusinessWire
Related Podcast: An Update on Melanoma from Yale Cancer Center Answers
Technorati Tags: cancer research; NIH-funded; internal medicine; duodenum; colon cancer; Santa Monica, CA
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