Potential New Target to Treat Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare asbestos-associated malignancy with
limited therapeutic options. Despite advances in the treatment, the
median survival remains 12 months from the time of diagnosis. Increased
understanding of the molecular basis for the diverse signaling pathways
involved in cancer progression should promote the discovery of novel
biomarkers for early diagnosis and potentially lead to more effective
therapeutic tools for the disease.
In the September issue of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's journal, the Journal of Thoracic Oncology
(JTO), researchers conclude that Ephrin (EPH) B2 seems to play an
important role in malignant pleural mesothelioma cell lines and tumors.
Using expression arrays, researchers from the New York University
Langone Medical Center looked at EPHB2 in 34 malignant pleural
mesothelioma tumors , and found it significantly elevated in tumor
tissue compared with matched normal peritoneum.
They found EPHB2
overexpressed in all malignant pleural mesothelioma cell lines, but not
in benign mesothelial cells. EPHB2 is also significantly elevated in
malignant pleural mesothelioma tumor tissue compared with matched normal
peritoneum.
Researchers believe, "targeting EPHB2 might provide a novel therapy
to improve the prognosis in people suffering from malignant pleural
mesothelioma.
Further investigation in vitro using specific inhibitors
of EPHB2 is required to determine the importance of EPHB2 and its
interactions with other members of the receptor kinases and their
ligands to prove its role as a marker of progression or worse prognosis
for malignant pleural mesothelioma.
The lead author is Chandra Goparaju. Co-authors include IASLC members Dr. Jessica Donington and Dr. Harvey Pass.
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