ENCOURAGING RESULTS IN PANCREATIC CANCER RESEARCH
Oct 2, 2006
Protein Destroys Tumor Cells in Animals, Leaves Normal Cells Unharmed
Researchers at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and the Brooklyn VA Hospital
have found that when a human protein, PNC-28, is administered to pancreatic tumor
cells in animals, the tumors are destroyed. The research was reported in the October
1st edition of the International Journal of Cancer.
Matthew R. Pincus, MD, PhD, professor of pathology at SUNY Downstate and chairman
of pathology and laboratory medicine at the Brooklyn VA, said, “The results are very
encouraging. PNC-28 may be an effective agent in treating cancers, especially if delivered
directly to the tumor.”
PNC-28 is a p53 peptide, a naturally occurring human protein known to suppress tumor growth. The researchers previously found that PNC-28 induces death of a variety of human tumor cell lines, including a pancreatic cancer cell line, while not harming healthy cells.
The research team has now given PNC-28 to laboratory animals to test its ability to
block the growth of pancreatic cancer cells. When administered over a two-week period
in the peritoneal cavities of mice containing simultaneously transplanted tumors,
PNC-28 caused complete destruction of these tumors.
When delivered concurrently with tumor implantation, PNC-28 completely blocked tumor
growth during the two-week period of administration and two weeks post-treatment,
followed by weak tumor growth that leveled off at low tumor sizes.
In addition, according to Josef Michl, MD, associate professor of pathology at SUNY
Downstate, “When administered from a site distant from the tumor, PNC-28 still caused
a decrease in tumor size. This tumor growth was significantly slower than growth in
the presence of a control peptide.”
Dr. Pincus added that this peptide and its parent peptide, called PNC-27, are lethal
to a wide variety of human cancer cells, besides pancreatic cancer, including colon,
breast, cervical and bone (osteogenic sarcoma) cancers. These peptides kill cancer
cells that do not even contain native p53 protein and therefore appear to have a wide
applicability in treating a variety of human cancers.
The journal article, “PNC-28, a p53-derived peptide that is cytotoxic to cancer cells,
blocks pancreatic cancer cell growth in vivo,” is available from Dr. Pincus at Matthew.Pincus2@va.gov or 718-630-3688. An abstract is also available online at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112610113/ABSTRACT.
The Brooklyn VA Hospital is formally known as the Brooklyn campus of the Veterans
Administration New York Harbor Healthcare System. SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
is the only academic medical center in Brooklyn, Staten Island, or Queens, comprising
a College of Medicine, Colleges of Nursing and Health Related Professions, a School
of Graduate Studies, and University Hospital at Downstate.
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.