(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A team of Syracuse University researchers
discovered a molecular switch they believe could prevent the production of cells
found in several types of cancer, including leukemia. They discovered the switch
within the Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL) protein complex.
Biologist Michael Cosgrove, assistant professor in SU's College of Arts and
Sciences, led the research team. Anamika Patel, a post-doctoral researcher in
Cosgrove's lab assisted.
In the course of their research to better understand MLL, a protein switch that
helps regulate the formation of white blood cells, Cosgrove's research group
discovered a new molecular switch within the MLL complex, which they labeled W-RAD.
"We thought that MLL was the only switching mechanism present in this protein
complex," Cosgrove was quoted as saying. "However, we discovered the complex is
really two switches."
In
normal cells, MLL combines with four proteins that comprise the W-RAD group to
create a molecular switch that controls DNA events required to form white blood
cells. When the MLL switch is broken, white blood cells do not mature properly,
resulting in a dangerous proliferation of abnormal cells.
Similarly, the proteins that form the W-RAD complex are overproduced in several
types of cancer cells, but until now, scientists did not know the function of
these proteins. Cosgrove's group discovered that the W-RAD proteins form a new
kind of switch.
"The W-RAD switching mechanism signals the cell to create multiple copies of
cancer cells," Cosgrove said. "If we can find a way to turn off this switch, we
might be able to slow or stop the production of abnormal cells and convert them
to normal cells."
SOURCE: Journal of Biological Chemistry (JBC), September 4, 2009
