
Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) are aggressive malignancies arising from squamous epithelium of various organs, such as esophagus, head and neck, lung and skin. Previous studies demonstrated that two master transcription factors, TP63 and SOX2, effect genomic activation in SCCs. Now, researchers from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at the National University of Singapore have taken a step further and identified a SCC-specific protein complex activated by TP63 and SOX2 which triggers a gene cascade that promotes SCC growth.
The findings of the study were published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature Communications in September 2018.
Despite major advancements in cancer research, scientists do not completely understand the development and growth of SCCs, and no effective targeted treatment has been developed for the disease. Researchers at CSI Singapore have therefore embarked on the study in collaboration with the Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre at Los Angeles, USA, to deepen the understanding of SCC biology.
Source: News Medical







