Identification of a key protein that protects cancer cells from oxidative damage.

As cancer cells grow, they produce chemicals called reactive oxygen species (ROS), which cause cellular stress and pose a physical threat to the cancer cells’ survival. For this reason, the cells also generate an antioxidant system, which provides protection from the damage caused by ROS. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have discovered that the protein thioredoxin-like 2 (TXNL2) is key in protecting the cells from oxidative stress. The researchers discovered that elevated levels of TXNL2 in breast cancer cells correlated with an increased likelihood of cells growing and metastasizing to the lung or brain.