New hope of cancer 'road block'
THE first "working" model of a key cancer protein has exposed an Achilles heel that could pave the way to wide-ranging new treatments.
British scientists created the moving interactive model of the enzyme protein kinase B (PKB) to see how it functioned in cells.
PKB is an important regulator of signalling pathways that control cell survival and proliferation. Excessive activation of the molecule is one of the major driving forces behind cancer and seen in many tumours.
Currently, there are no drugs suitable for use in humans that can switch off out-of-control PKB. But the model exposed a hidden "cavity" in the protein's structure which is crucial to regulating its activity.
The scientists found that inhibitor molecules can bind to the cavity area and lock PKB into an inactive state.
Professor Banafshe Larijani, who led the research, said: "Finding a way to switch this enzyme off lets us, in effect, put up road blocks along routes by which cancer can develop."
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