Secrets of cancer cells immortality have been found

The capability of a cancer cell to divide endlessly makes it practically immortal. British researchers identified a protein molecule which appr. 10 per cent of all malignant cells use to reach the state of immortality. Blocking this molecule, it’ll become possible to stop further division of cancer cells.

At the early stages, malignant cells are subjected to a limited number of divisions and reproduced only in small numbers. Finally, a handful of cells, or just only one cell, mutates in a way that it outbreaks the barrier and gets an opportunity to split endlessly, causing a malignant tumor (cancer) in the end.

Majority tumor cells become malignant and include a telomeric gene - a protein molecule that forms protective shells at each end of a chromosome. Telomeres regularly destroy cells and divide, but maintaining the state of equilibrium at the same time; therefore, they are capable to reproduce themselves in a geometrical progression. Malignant cancer is the cancer that re-activates an ability to produce telomeres.

However, a smaller part, or appr. 10%, of cancer cells, can build telomeres without attaching a telomeric gene to a cell. Scientists found evidence that these cells can generate WRN proteins which are thought to stabilize telomeres, but are not involved in the telomere construction process. Since it’s impossible to break up an integrity of a cancer cell through switching off a WRN protein in each cell, scientists are hoped to find in future an anti-WRN vaccine applicable only to cancer cells. In any case, a new direction in attaining the common goal - to find a remedy from cancer - has been found.

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