Nat commun: new drugs make cancer cells more sensitive to radiotherapy

September 29, 2018 / BIOON / - researchers from Karolinska college and kanera AB company have developed a new molecule that can make cancer cells more sensitive to radiotherapy In a new study published in nature communications, the researchers described a new way to inhibit the ability of cancer cells to repair DNA, which can significantly inhibit the growth of cancer cells Photo source: Nat commun radiotherapy is one of the most common cancer treatments It can damage DNA, causing cancer cells to stop growing, and dying if the damage is not repaired Unfortunately, some cancer cells are resistant to radiotherapy, which also damages the DNA of normal cells, which limits the amount of radiation available In collaboration with Swedish company kanera AB, researchers at Karolinska college have previously discovered new ways cancer cells can be used to repair DNA In this study, the researchers found that cancer cells use a protein called PFKFB3 to repair DNA damaged during radiotherapy They found that the protein, which is located in the DNA damaged part of the nucleus, regulates the ability of cells to repair DNA damage and survive Drug candidates inhibit the protein researchers have developed a new drug candidate to inhibit the protein and the ability of cancer cells to repair damaged DNA They found that in the experimental model, the cancer cells treated with the drug could not survive after radiotherapy "It was previously known that PFKFB3 levels in cancer cells would be much higher than in normal cells But it's an exciting new discovery that PFKFB3 can repair DNA damage caused by radiotherapy Nina Gustafsson, project leader and assistant professor of translational medicine in the Department of cancer pathology at Karolinska college, led the study with fellow Professor Thomas helleday The basis of new anticancer therapy is that normal healthy cells do not rely on PFKFB3 to repair DNA, so the researchers hope that related chemotherapy or radiotherapy combined therapy can improve the patient's tolerance Now their goal is to develop a drug and lay the foundation to make the existing anti-cancer therapy less toxic and side effects Reference: Nina M S Gustafsson et al Targeting PFKFB3 radiosensitized cancer cells and suppresses homologous recommendation, nature communications (2018) Doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-06287-x