Heparin Sulfate: Sugar in Blood Vessel, New Target to Inhibit Cancer Growth and Spread
In their attempt to pinpoint novel therapies in the prevention of cancer spread or metastasis, University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine researchers have targeted a sugar – heparin sulfate- that supports the growth of blood vessel in the tumor.
Lung cancer is one type of cancer where therapies that would block metastasis is desperately needed. It is the most common cause of cancer death.
According to the research team, solid tumors need a network of blood vessels (vasculature) in order to grow –thereby promoting metastasis (or cancer spread).
According to first author Mark M. Fuster, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine in UCSD’s Department of Medicine:
“We theorized that by targeting the sugar, heparan sulfate, we could affect angiogenesis, which is the formation of new blood vessels. In cancer, angiogenesis sustains growth as well as metastasis of tumors.
An important finding was that, not only could we inhibit the growth of tumors in these mice, but that other systems that rely on endothelial growth, such as the reproductive system and wound healing, remained robust.”
The very promising study findings are published in the May 7 online issue of Journal of Cell Biology.
Find more details from the full report.
Tags: blood-vessel, cancer-growth, cancer-metastasis, heparin-sulfateRelated Stories
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