Mesothelioma researchers have identified another diagnostic marker and potential treatment target that could suppress mesothelioma cell growth.
Malignant mesothelioma is a known aggressive cancer arising from serosal surfaces of the pleura, peritoneum or pericardium and is caused by exposure to asbestos. Presently, there is no widely accepted treatment for mesothelioma cancer and a cure has yet to be found. However, some cases of extended remission have been reported and a few cases have been spontaneously cured.
Much research is being conducted throughout the globe to develop effective therapies for mesothelioma and this involves identification of therapeutic molecular targets. The aim of this study was to conduct a large-scale functional screening of mesothelioma cells using a genome-wide small interfering RNA library.
The researchers determined that the knockdown of 39 different genes suppressed mesothelioma cell growth. At least seven of these 39 genes—known as COPA, COPB2, EIF3D, POLR2A, PSMA6, RBM8A and RPL18A—were found to be involved in anti-apoptotic function (apoptosis is programmed cell death, thus anti-apoptosis helps the cancer cells to grow instead of die).
In particular, the researchers found the COPA protein was highly expressed in some mesothelioma cell lines but not in a pleural mesothelial cell line. They observed that COPA knockdown prompted apoptosis and even suppressed tumor growth in a mesothelioma mouse model. Thus, COPA may have potential as a treatment target and as a new diagnostic marker for malignant mesothelioma.
Additional information on mesothelioma may be found through the mesothelioma Center.