Scientists from the University of East Anglia found that some of the enzymes released by cancer cells perform a protective function, activating the immune system of the patient.
This is MMP-8 (matrix metalloproteinase type 8), which helps the immune system to identify the tumor and attack it.
Initially, scientists were sure that the MMR secreted by cancer cells stimulates tumor growth, so they tried to fight this enzyme.
The results of the new study were published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Lead researcher, Professor Dylan Edwards of the School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, says: "MMP is a family of enzymes that are released by cancer cells. It was previously believed that matrix metalloproteinases play the role of "molecular scissors" that cut organic structures outside cells, cleanse the path and help cancer spread into neighboring tissues ".
The professor recalled: "In the 1990s, scientists tried to treat cancer by working on this family of proteins. Most attempts were unsuccessful. This led us to the idea that not all of these enzymes were "bad guys", causing growth and spread of tumors ".
University staff worked together with Norfolk hospital doctors to study in detail the characteristic patterns of breast cancer metalloproteinases. An early study published in 2008 revealed that one of these enzymes, known as MMP-8, has protective properties and helps keep cancer under control. Patients with breast cancer who had more of this enzyme had, on average, a better outcome of the disease.
Professor Edwards told us about a new study:
"We demonstrated that when cancer cells produce MMP-8, it causes reciprocal production by the immune system of the inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-8 that are associated with the spread of cancer. But if the cell produces many MMP-8, then it does not last long - the enzyme activates the immune system and stops the cancer.
We are sure that MMP-8 feeds the molecular signal to the immune system "find me! ", Which explains this protective effect".
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