Cancer Research UK-funded scientists have revealed that a set of proteins act as the cell's 'nose' to 'sniff out' molecules that trigger cell growth, according to research published in 'Oncogene'.
Blocking these proteins stops cancer cell growth but seems to have less of an effect on healthy cells, as they may rely less on this family of proteins.
Cancer Research UK scientists at the University of Oxford investigated the role in human cancer cells of a group of proteins called Proton-Assisted Amino Acid Transporters (PATs).
PATs carry amino acids through cell walls.
Cell growth is completely dependent on messenger molecules 'sniffing out' the presence of amino acids - the building blocks of proteins that carry out activities essential to life.
The team discovered that the PAT proteins are a key part of the amino-acid-sensing system inside the cell, which controls an essential growth regulator protein called mTOR.
If mTOR is switched off, cancer cells cannot grow.
Blocking the activity of PAT proteins halts cancer cell growth, but appears to have much less of an effect on the growth of other cells, suggesting PATs could provide potent targets for drug development to stop tumour growth.
Dr Deborah Goberdhan, lead author and Cancer Research UK-funded scientist at the University of Oxford, said: 'By blocking the activity of the cell's nose, we could stop cancer cells growing.
'We've started to see that blocking this activity does not stop healthy cells going about their business as normal, so it could provide a potential target for new drugs,' she added.
