Identifying therapeutic targets for cancer among 2074 circulating proteins and risk of nine cancers

Area of Science:

• Genetics and Molecular Biology
• Oncology
• Proteomics

Background:

• Circulating proteins offer insights into cancer pathways and potential therapeutic targets.
• Identifying protein-cancer associations can aid in cancer prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between 2,074 circulating proteins and the risk of nine common cancers.
• To identify potential adverse effects of protein-altering interventions and map proteins to drug targets.

Main Methods:

• Utilized cis protein Mendelian randomization and colocalization analyses.
• Examined associations between circulating proteins and cancer risk.
• Conducted additional analyses for adverse effects and drug target mapping.

Main Results:

• Identified 40 proteins associated with common cancer risks, including PLAUR (breast cancer) and CTRB1 (pancreatic cancer).
• Reported 18 cancer risk proteins linked to existing drugs and 15 to drugs not yet in clinical investigation.
• Identified potential adverse effects, such as hypertension, from protein-altering interventions.

Conclusions:

• Established novel protein-cancer links, enhancing the understanding of cancer etiology.
• Highlighted the need to consider broader health impacts of protein-altering interventions for therapeutic cancer prevention.