Researchers in the U.S. have identified a protein that helps cancer cells resist some of the most commonly used chemotherapy drugs, potentially contributing to treatment resistance and disease relapse. The findings were published in the Cell Reports journal.
Scientists at Michigan State University investigated how ovarian cancer and other types of cancer develop resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy.
Protein linked to chemotherapy resistance
The researchers identified a protein known as TPPP3 as a key factor in the process.
According to the study, cancer cells with elevated levels of TPPP3 are better able to stabilize their internal structural framework (TPPP3 acts as a protective shield for cancer cells), enabling them to withstand the effects of chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin and carboplatin, which are designed to kill cancer cells.
The study also found that patients with lower TPPP3 levels tended to live longer and respond better to treatment.
Toward new treatment strategies
In laboratory experiments, removing TPPP3 significantly restored cancer cells’ sensitivity to cisplatin, suggesting the protein could become a target for therapies aimed at overcoming chemotherapy resistance.
The findings may also help explain why some patients initially respond well to treatment before their cancer becomes resistant and begins to progress.
The researchers plan to explore the development of drugs targeting TPPP3 and evaluate whether the protein can serve as a biomarker to identify patients at greater risk of developing chemotherapy resistance.
