This protein was previously thought to play a role solely in the innate immune system’s response to bacterial infection. In the new study, which will be published on-line by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America on January 23, researchers showed for the first time that the protein, which is present in epithelial cells of the intestinal tract and lungs, is linked to the control of malignant cell growth. The study found that over-expression of the protein resulted in the nearly total inhibition of estrogen-dependent tumor growth in mice, and the reduction of estrogen-induced proliferative responses in vitro. In stark contrast, significant tumor growth occurred when Nod1 was absent.
