Therapeutic Peptides for the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer:  Dr. Joyce A. Schroeder in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology in the Arizona Cancer Center at The University of Arizona has demonstrated that targeting disease-specific protein interactions through the use of mimetic peptides can effectively treat metastatic breast cancer.  This represents a novel approach in molecular targeted therapies.  During cancer progression, MUC1, an oncogenic transmembrane protein, is overexpressed and interacts with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and β-catenin in a tumor-specific manner, resulting in enhanced oncogenic activity.  The MUC1 cytoplasmic domain is composed of 72 amino acids, within which lies a 15 amino acid domain containing sites of EGFR phosphorylation and β-catenin binding.  Dr. Schroeder found that targeting this interaction domain of MUC1 for both EGFR and β-catenin through the utilization of MUC1 dominant-negative peptides could significantly affect breast cancer progression.  Request additional information.

 

Novel Inducers of Apoptosis:  Dr. Seth D. Rose in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Arizona State University has developed a strategy to advantageously alter the cancer cell proteome to kill cancer cells by inducing a natural cell death process as well as fighting drug resistance.    Dr. Rose’s strategy is twofold: (1) irreversibly inhibiting enzymes involved in cell division, and (2) preventing drug efflux pumps from removing the drug from the cell to restore enzyme activity.  This strategy offers a truly new approach for the development of chemotherapeutic agents for effective inhibition of cancer cell growth.  Several novel compounds have been synthesized and tested in vitro against more than 60 human cancer cell lines.  The lead compound, RG-66, was found to be active against several cell lines (pancreatic, leukemia, colon, central nervous system, ovarian, and breast) at concentrations below 10 nanomolar.  Xenograft testing is in progress and results should be available shortly.  Request additional information.