A special immune system protein, Ku70, may play a role as a suppressor of bowel cancer, according to a new study led by scientists from the Australian National University. results published In the journal Science Advances.
In humans, the Ku70 protein is encoded by the XRCC6 gene. Ku70 can be found in both the nucleus and cytoplasm of the cell. Until recently, its primary role was thought to be limited to its ability to repair DNA. New research has shown that Ku70 also has secondary functions such as antimicrobial and antitumor.
Scientists have found that Ku70 produces type III interferons (IFNs) in response to invasion of humans and mice by bacterial or viral foreign DNA. Interferon lambda (IFN) type III) is expressed in mucosal epithelial cells. It is of great importance in protecting against viruses that interact with mucous membranes, especially the herpes virus.
It was also discovered that the Ku70 protein can also play the role of tumor suppressor (suppressing their growth). This was confirmed in an experiment involving laboratory mice. Genetically modified mice lacking Ku70 were highly susceptible to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of malignant tumor that develops from epithelial tissue cells) and spontaneous T-cell lymphoma (lymphoid tissue is the source of malignant tumor growth).
Ku70 is a good immune biomarker for predicting which people will fare better or worse with bowel cancer, the researchers added. They noted that future methods of diagnosing colon cancer will include assessing Ku70 levels in precancerous polyps, which are abnormal tissue growths in the colon.
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