A hitherto unknown molecular pathway that could contribute to the prevention of lung cancer has been revealed by a study by Tulane University in the USA.

Lung cancer it is one of the most common cancers and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world.

The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that a known tumor suppressor protein called RBM10 can inhibit the growth of lung cancer by suppressing the function of c-Myc, a protein that drives growth and the proliferation of cancer cells when overexpressed. Researchers found that RBM10 cooperates with two ribosomal proteins (RPL5 and RPL11) to destabilize c-Myc and inhibit the spread of lung cancer. The findings are the first to identify a cancer-inhibitory relationship between the proteins.

Also, the researchers found that a mutated form of RBM10 often found in lung cancers loses the ability to repress c-Mycdoes not bind to the ribosomal proteins RPL5 and RPL11 and ultimately promotes tumor growth instead of suppressing it.

According to the study’s lead author, Hua Lu of Tulane University School of Medicine, the research could lead to the development of a new anti-cancer drug and to a more personalized treatment of lung cancer.