UPR Pathway: Protecting Bones from Cancer Damage
- * Normal Function: The UPR is a safety mechanism in cells.
- * Research Focus: Researchers at the University of Nebraska medical Center (Professor sarah A. Holstein and dr.
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The Unfolded protein Response (UPR) and Cancer
* Normal Function: The UPR is a safety mechanism in cells. When the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) gets overwhelmed with misfolded proteins, the UPR slows down protein synthesis to allow the ER to recover. If the problem persists, the UPR can trigger cell death.
* Cancer’s Hijacking of the UPR: Cancer cells frequently enough alter the UPR to prevent cell death. This allows them to survive in harsh tumor environments (low oxygen, low nutrients).
* Therapeutic Potential: Because cancer cells rely on this altered UPR, it’s a promising target for new cancer therapies.
Cancer and Bone Health
* Research Focus: Researchers at the University of Nebraska medical Center (Professor sarah A. Holstein and dr. Molly E. Muehlebach) are studying how the UPR relates to cancer-induced bone damage.
* How Cancer Affects Bone: Cancerous infiltration of bone disrupts the normal bone remodeling cycle. This can lead to both bone loss and increased bone density, but in either case, the bone becomes brittle and prone to fracture.
* Cancers Involved: This bone damage occurs in:
* Primary bone cancers (osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma)
* Blood cancers (multiple myeloma)
* Solid tumors that metastasize to bone (breast, prostate)
* Impact on Patients: Compromised skeletal structure significantly contributes to disease morbidity and reduces overall patient survival in cancer-induced bone disease.