Researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo in Brazil have identified a molecule on the surface of cells that could serve as a therapeutic target against cancer, according to a June 18 announcement. The molecule, known as Sindecam-4 (SDC4), plays an important role in tumor progression by regulating cellular behavior.
The study, supported by FAPESP and other Brazilian research agencies, demonstrated that overexpression of the SDC4 receptor provides tumor cells with protection. In laboratory experiments, researchers silenced this receptor and observed halted accelerated growth of tumor cells. These cells then resumed responding to natural programmed cell death mechanisms.
"Our study shows that SDC4 could become a promising therapeutic target and serve as a diagnostic marker for monitoring disease progression. The strategy of silencing this molecule has the potential to prevent the proliferation of cancer cells, but we're still in the early stages of research and need to validate the results for each specific case of the disease," said Carla Cristina Lopes, full professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at UNIFESP and lead author of the study published in Cytotechnology.
Lopes said that under normal conditions, SDC4 is expressed for essential functions such as signaling and adhering to other cells. However, changes or excessive production are associated with cancer development. "Sindecam-4 protects tumor cells from a specific type of cell death called anoikis, which occurs when a cell detaches from tissue," Lopes said.
Experiments on rabbit endothelial cells showed fewer than 5% survived loss of adhesion; these survivors were highly aggressive with increased SDC4 expression. Silencing SDC4 using genetic engineering caused these malignant properties to disappear. Further analysis indicated that silencing SDC4 increased levels of p27—an inhibitor acting early in cell division—and regulated cyclin-dependent kinase expression involved in cell cycle progression.
The researchers are now investigating whether cannabidiol (CBD) can act on SDC4 molecules. "The discovery of the role of SDC4 in metastasis paves the way for a series of new studies... One of our lines is to verify whether cannabidiol can reverse malignant behavior... It would be an interesting approach, but we're still in early stages," Lopes said.
