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Learning therapeutic lessons from metastasis suppressor proteins

Steven Christopher Smith1, Dan Theodorescu

  • 1Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA.

Nature Reviews. Cancer
|February 27, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Metastasis suppressor proteins control cancer spread. Strategies to restore their function, like gene therapy, are being explored for cancer treatment and are in clinical trials.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Metastasis Research

Background:

  • Metastasis suppressor proteins are key regulators of the metastatic cascade.
  • Their loss contributes to cancer cell invasion, survival in circulation, and organ colonization.
  • Understanding these proteins offers insights into therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current strategies for restoring metastasis suppressor function.
  • To highlight potential therapeutic opportunities based on metastasis suppressor biology.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on metastasis suppressor proteins.
  • Analysis of novel therapeutic strategies including gene transfer, gene expression induction, and protein administration.
  • Examination of targeting downstream pathways affected by metastasis suppressor loss.

Main Results:

  • Multiple strategies are being investigated to restore metastasis suppressor activity.
  • These include gene transfer, enhancing suppressed gene expression, and administering gene products.
  • Targeting pathways downstream of metastasis suppressor loss is also a viable approach.

Conclusions:

  • Restoring metastasis suppressor function holds therapeutic potential for cancer.
  • Current strategies are under preclinical and clinical investigation.
  • Further research may lead to clinical applications for managing cancer metastasis.

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