In a groundbreaking development, scientists at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) may have discovered a way to impede the spread of cancer facilitated by the protein MYC. While MYC plays a crucial role in healthy cell activity, it becomes erratic in cancer cells, contributing to uncontrolled cancer growth and metastasis. The challenge lies in MYC’s shapelessness, making it challenging for drugs to target and regulate its activity effectively.
The UCR research team, however, has engineered a peptide compound capable of binding and interacting with MYC, potentially restoring its normal functioning. Biochemist Min Xue, from UCR, explains, “MYC is less like food for cancer cells and more like a steroid that promotes cancer’s rapid growth. That is why MYC is a culprit in 75 percent of all human cancer cases.”
The researchers meticulously studied the limited structure of MYC to create a library of peptides. One specific peptide, NT-B2R, demonstrated exceptional proficiency in disrupting MYC’s activity. In experiments with a culture of human brain cancer cells, NT-B2R successfully bound to MYC, altering the regulation of genes and ultimately suppressing the metabolism and proliferation of cancer cells.
The breakthrough builds upon earlier research by the same team, recognizing that modifying the structure and shape of peptides enhances their interaction with shapeless proteins like MYC. Xue highlights the significance, stating, “Peptides can assume a variety of forms, shapes, and positions. Once you bend and connect them to form rings, they cannot adopt other possible forms, so they then have a low level of randomness. This helps with the binding.”
While the results are promising, there are hurdles to overcome. The current delivery method of the peptide via lipid nanoparticles needs refinement for drug dispensing. Additionally, rigorous human subject testing is crucial before establishing the effectiveness of this method in halting cancer progression.
Xue remains optimistic, stating, “MYC represents chaos, basically because it lacks structure. That, and its direct impact on so many types of cancer make it one of the holy grails of cancer drug development. We are very excited that it is now within our grasp.” This discovery offers hope in disrupting a major mechanism through which cancer hijacks biological processes, potentially paving the way for innovative cancer treatments.
