Could metals help treat cancer ?

25.07.08 - 21:22 ... source : CNRS

... A fruitful collaboration between chemists and biologists has made it possible to identify the effects of a new class of molecules, polyoxometalates (1), primarily composed of metals and oxygen. These molecules are very powerful inhibitors of a specific protein kinase, CK2, an enzyme that is overactive in a number of cancers. The enzyme's instrumental role in controlling cell proliferation and survival makes it an important target in the search for new medications. These results have just been published in the journal Chemistry and Biology by chemists from the Institut de chimie moléculaire (CNRS / UPMC) and biologists from the Institut de recherche en technologies et sciences pour le vivant (iRTSV, CEA de Grenoble / CNRS / Inserm.) Phosphorylation enzymes (2) , which include the protein kinase CK2, play a critical role in controlling cell proliferation. Deregulated protein kinase activity is implicated in a number of cancers, which has le ...» Next (HTML)