New Target of Cancer-Causing Gene Found

Johns Hopkins researchers in Baltimore say they have identified a new target of a cancer-causing gene.

The new target of the Ras oncoprotein is desecribed as an enzyme required to produce a molecular anchor allowing certain proteins to stick to the cell surface. These molecules regulate the way cells interact and connect with one another.

Researchers say the discovery may provide a new understanding of how tumor cells become malignant and how parasites defend themselves against the body’s immune system.

The findings could open new avenues of research in the development of treatments for cancers and parasitic infections, they say.