St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Release: Scientists Unlock Solid Tumor Treatment Genetic Secrets

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- A biochemical mechanism that cells use to cope with hypoxia (lack of oxygen) actually cooperates with a less well-known mechanism that helps increase the expression of those hypoxia- sensitive genes, according to investigators at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The two mechanisms each enable a transcription factor called hypoxia- inducible factor (HIF) to increase expression of genes that the cell uses to respond to the stress of hypoxia. Transcription factors bind to a site on the gene called the promoter and trigger the process that decodes the gene and makes the protein for which that gene codes. HIF binds to and activates many genes that contribute to the survival response of tumors; for example, genes that control biochemical reactions that don’t require oxygen to extract energy from glucose or genes needed to build new blood vessels that bring oxygen to hypoxic cells.

The finding is important because it suggests that developing new therapies that interfere with both mechanisms instead of just one might enhance the efficacy of treatments designed for solid tumors that become hypoxic as they outgrow their oxygen supply, according to Paul Brindle, Ph.D., an associate member of the Department of Biochemistry. Brindle is senior author of a report on this work that appeared in November 16 issue of The EMBO Journal. Lawryn H. Kasper, Ph.D., a research laboratory specialist in Brindle’s laboratory, is the first author of the article. Kasper and co-worker Faycal Boussouar, Ph.D., did most of the work on this study.

Other authors of the study are Troy Baudino, Michelle Biesen, John Cleveland, Ph.D., and Wu Xu, St. Jude Biochemistry; Kelli Boyd, DVM, Ph.D., ARC; and Jerold Rehg, DVM, of the St. Jude department of Pathology.

This work was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health, a Cancer Center (CORE) grant and ALSAC.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. No family ever pays for treatments not covered by insurance, and families without insurance are never asked to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fund-raising organization. For more information, please visit www.stjude.org.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

CONTACT: Carrie Strehlau of St. Jude Public Relations, +1-901-495-2295, orcarrie.strehlau@stjude.org; or Marc Kusinitz, Ph.D. of St. Jude ScientificCommunications, +1-901-495-5020, or marc.kusinitz@stjude.org