They discover a key protein in colorectal cancer

A team of researchers from the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) has identified the protein tropomodulin-2 (TMOD2) as a “key” for colorectal cancer metastasis, and has suggested that it could serve as a target for look for new treatments for this type of tumor.

The results of the study, carried out in collaboration with the San Carlos Clinical Hospital of the Jiménez Díaz Foundation and the CIB-CSIC and published in the journal British Journal of Cancershow that the expression of this protein is altered in colorectal cancer tumor cells with high metastasis capacity towards the liver.

“Our findings demonstrate that TMOD2 plays a relevant role in the progression of this type of cancer, so it could be a good candidate for developing new therapies in metastatic colorectal cancer that can, in the future, be tested in clinical trials,” stated the scientific team, coordinated by Rodrigo Barderas and Ana Monterofrom the Functional Research Unit in Chronic Diseases (UFIEC) of the ISCIII.

Furthermore, they imply greater knowledge about the role of protein in the progression of colorectal cancer, since the study has provided data that confirms the correlation between increased expression of TMOD2, advanced stages of the disease and lower survival.

The use of proteomics, bioinformatics and analysis of tumor samples tools in vitro and in vivo has made it possible to explain how the overexpression of this protein in colorectal cancer cells induces a significant increase in its tumorigenic and metastatic propertiesby increasing its cell adhesion, growth and metastasis capacity.

Cells with overexpression of TMOD2 formed both in models in vitro as in animal models “larger tumors” and “increased liver colonization of tumor cells.”

The investigation has also located other proteins and signaling pathways cells related to the overexpression of TMOD2 and also involved in tumor development and metastasis, such as STAG1 and MARCKS.