Nasopharyngeal Metastasis Protein Discovered.

Nasopharyngeal Metastasis Protein Discovered.

The Van Andel Institute and researchers from the United States, China, and Singapore have discovered an important proteinOne of the four basic types of biomolecule. Proteins are polymers made up of strings of amino acids. Proteins serve many functions in organisms including transport of molecules, structure, cell adhesion and as signaling molecules such as hormones. Many transcription factors, including p53 and Rb are proteins. that may play a significant part in the development of nasopharyngeal carcinomaCancer of epithelial cells, the cells that cover the outside and inside of body surfaces. This is the most common form of cancer. (NPC).  NPC is the most common cancer of the head and neck and also has the highest rates of spread to distant locations (metastasis).  Southeast Asia has a prevalence that is almost 25 times that of other parts of the world.

The research showed that a protein, called seroglycin, was produced at very high levels in aggressive forms of the cancer.  They could also make less aggressive cancers turn into aggressive forms by increasing the amount of this protein in the cancer cells.  The discovery opens up a new potential target for this form of cancer.