Researchers at Frankfurt University Medicine and the Berlin Charité have discovered a cellular signaling pathway that plays a role in lymph node cancer.

The scientists led by Ulrich Keller identified a gene that controls what is known as SUMOylation.

During this process, proteins are modified in such a way that this affects their lifespan and their localization in the cell.

Sasha Zoske

Sheet maker in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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The gene studied contains the information for a protein called SENP6, which reverses SUMO changes in other proteins.

It helps repair damage to DNA in this way.

In experiments with mice, the researchers specifically switched off the SENP6 gene.

As a result, the animals developed cancer.

Apparently it is a tumor suppressor gene.

It has been lost in a third of all lymphoma patients.

Mechanism also important for other types of cancer?

In a mouse model, tumor formation could be prevented after switching off the gene with an inhibitor that has already been approved as a drug for the treatment of breast cancer.

The level of the protein SENP6 can be used as a marker that indicates the success of such a therapy.

Keller and his colleagues are now investigating whether the mechanism described is also important for other types of cancer.

Clinical trials are also planned to test the therapeutic benefit of the findings.

The link to the study