Grant Holder |
Researcher |
Completed project Institute Amount Awarded Duration Type of Award |
Title
A new approach to breast cancer control: use of beta-GBP, a novel cytokine
Synopsis
The major treatments for breast cancer, chemotherapy and radiation, can fail because cancers become resistant. In addition, these treatments are harmful to normal cells as well as cancer cells. As an alternative this project will investigate a naturally occurring protein, the cytokine beta-GBP, the only known molecule that can selectively kill breast cancer cells without harming healthy cells.
Aims & Goals
We are using a molecule with a putative role in cancer surveillance discovered in our laboratory. We are exploiting the molecular make up of mammary cancer cells to force them into death whether or not they are resistant to chemotherapy. We are identifying the genes targeted by the molecule we have discovered which can programmes cancer cells in to death without harming host defences.
Updates
Professor Livio Mallucci and Dr Valerie Wells at King’s College, London have shown that a protein called beta-GBP, which naturally occurs in the body, has the potential to be a new breast cancer treatment as it forces breast cancer cells in the laboratory to die. More importantly, the protein is most effective at killing cells which are resistant to other breast cancer treatments. Therefore, beta-GBP could be a potential tool for combating drug resistant forms of breast cancer.
Publications
| Title | A new approach to breast cancer control. Turning cell cycle controller genes into cancer drugs. |
| Year | 2002 |
| Authors | Wells, V. and Mallucci,L. |
| Title | Turning cell cycle controller genes into cancer drugs. A role for antiproliferative cytokine |
| Year | 2003 |
| Authors | Mallucci L, Wells V, Danikas A, Davies D |
| Title | Circumventing multi-drug resistance in cancer by bGBP, an anti-proliferative cytokine |
| Year | 2005 |
| Authors | Ravatn R, Wells V, Nelson L, Vettori D, Mallucci L, Chin KV |
| Title | Potential role of the antiproliferative cytokine ?-galactoside binding protein in cancer therapy |
| Year | 2005 |
| Authors | Livio Mallucci & Valerie Wells |
Presentations
| Title | Cytokine induced gene targeting in cancer control |
| Year | 2003 |
| Authors | Mallucci L and Wells V |
| Title | Time for a change. Therapeutic use of a natural molecule (BGBP) as a selective anti-cancer agent. |
| Year | 2003 |
| Authors | Mallucci, L., Wells, V, Chin, K-V, Lawler, M, Mariani, R, Lotti, L and Minelli,A |
| Title | A new approach to breast cancer control. Turning cell cycle controller genes into cancer drugs. |
| Year | 2003 |
| Authors | Wells V, Danikas A, Mariani R and Mallucci L |
| Title | A natural defence molecule in cancer control. Tracking ?GBP pathways to apoptosis. |
| Year | 2004 |
| Authors | Mallucci, L. and Wells, V. |
