'U' Researchers Pinpoint Enzyme That Leads To Several Cancers
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- There has been a breakthrough in cancer research at the University of Minnesota.
Researchers pinpointed a single enzyme that may cause more cases of cancer than UV rays from the sun or chemicals from smoking. It's a human anti-viral protein, known as APPO-beck 3B.
The researchers found that it leads to several types of cancer, including breast, bladder and two types of lung cancer.
"So kind of like sunlight, this is a major source of mutation that should be controllable," Prof. Reuben Harris said. "So, that's a big deal, we think, for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications."
The enzyme is produced by the immune system to protect us from viruses, like HIV.
The study was published in Sunday's issue of Nature Genetics.
