Scientists have discovered a rare variant of a protein in human cells that may have the potential to promote breast cancer within itself.
Researchers from the University of Manchester believe that targeting this variant, called RAC1B, could potentially dramatically increase the effectiveness of treatment. According to experts, this variant can play an important role in making cancer cells resistant to drugs for treatment.
The research also revealed that the presence of this protein causes the formation of cancerous tumors and its dearth does not have any harmful effects on the organs.
Dr. Ahmed Oucher, Research Fellow at Breast Cancer Now at the University of Manchester, said that the research has shown for the first time that breast cancer stem cells without RAC1B cannot form tumors and that these cancerous cells are resistant to chemotherapy. RAC1B is not essential for healthy cells, so there is no serious harm in targeting this protein with new cancer treatments, he said.
For its practical demonstration, scientists transplanted breast cancer cells into mice. The scientists observed that no tumors were evident in the cells that lacked RAC1B after 100 days. Also, breast cancer cells created in the lab without RAC1B could not grow back when treated with doxorubicin (a chemotherapy drug).