An international team of researchers has discovered a new anti cancer protein which can help in the diagnosis of liver cancer. The protein is known as LHPP which will help in the prevention of proliferation of cancer cells in liver and can also serve as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of liver cancer. Very often it is heard that liver cancer also known as hepatocellular carcinoma, is usually diagnosed at very late stage when the liver is severely damaged. So the researchers believe that the discovery of this anti cancer protein LHPP will surely help in the early detection of liver cancer and would also allow the clinicians to better provide treatment options.
LHPP is present in healthy tissues and completely absent in tumor tissues. Liver tumors develop from mutated cells that grow and proliferate uncontrollably. Anti-cancer proteins, so-called tumor suppressors, prevent uncontrolled cell growth. Researchers often generated a mouse model for hepatocellular carcinoma by activating mTOR ( mammalian target of rapamycin ) signalling pathway which activates during various cellular processes such as tumor formation , angiogenesis, insulin resistance etc specifically in liver.
They analysed a total of more than 4,000 proteins, comparing them in healthy and tumor tissue. An enzyme emerged as the top favorite Histidine phosphate LHPP. As a result re introduction of genetic information for LHPP was done and it was found that this re introduction of genetic information proved to be of great help in the prevention of formation of tumors and also in maintaining the liver function . This discovery has given a new face, has provided a new path to the medical profession which would surely facilitate a positive growth and would also help in the betterment of the profession and as well as of the patients . A great effort indeed!!!