A groundbreaking discovery at Georgia Southern University is bringing new hope in the fight against cancer. Researchers have identified molecules that could inhibit the spread of cancer cells, offering a potential pathway for future treatments.
A Significant Breakthrough in Cancer Research
According to the American Cancer Society, more than 63,000 Georgians were diagnosed with cancer for the first time last year, with over 2 million cases reported nationwide. Despite these staggering numbers, a research team led by Mark dela Cerna, Ph.D., assistant professor of biochemistry at Georgia Southern, is making strides toward developing drugs that specifically target cancer metastasis.
“We’re trying to find medications that work on metastasis,” said dela Cerna. “We’re looking for molecules that eventually could be developed as drugs that particularly target cancer metastasis.”
The Role of PRL-3 in Cancer Spread
Metastasis often results from a cell protein called phosphatase of regenerating liver three, or PRL-3. For years, researchers have sought molecules that can block PRL-3 from binding and spreading.
“If you turn off this protein, you can minimize cancer aggressiveness and metastasis,” dela Cerna explained. “When you want to develop a drug, you want to make sure that you have evidence that your molecule actually interacts specifically with your target protein. To our knowledge, that molecule that we found is kind of the first molecule that has a molecular mechanism where we know it binds.”
International Collaboration Fuels Progress
Thanks to partnerships with Jessica Blackburn, Ph.D. at the University of Kentucky, Donghan Lee, Ph.D. at the Korea Basic Science Institute, Deji Agbowuro at South University – Savannah, and Brandon Quillian, Ph.D., assistant professor of organic chemistry at Georgia Southern, the team made a significant breakthrough in 2022. They discovered the first molecule capable of “turning off” PRL-3.
Dela Cerna later traveled to South Korea to use one of the world’s strongest NMR spectrometers. This powerful magnet has played a crucial role in understanding how these molecules bind with PRL-3.
Finding More Cancer-Fighting Molecules
Since the 2022 discovery, researchers have identified additional molecules capable of binding PRL-3.
“We found one, and we can find others,” said dela Cerna. “We’re finding molecules that are similar looking, which tells us that maybe there’s some hint that certain parts of this molecule are necessary for binding this protein. We consider it a scaffold for the building around it. But at the same time, it’s motivating that we have that initial validation.”
The program has been supported by a National Institute of Health grant, which has enabled dela Cerna to involve undergraduate and graduate students in further research. Grace Bennett, a master’s student in applied physical science, finds inspiration in the work due to her personal connection to cancer.
“I have had a lot of people in my family have different health-related issues,” she said. “I originally wanted to be a doctor and see what I could do. Since working in the research lab, I feel like this is the best of both worlds. I love what I’m doing, but I’m also still contributing to the biomedical field on the other side of it.”
Presenting Research on the Global Stage
Last month, dela Cerna presented his findings to the department of structural biology at the Korea Basic Science Institute, where his team utilized the world-renowned spectrometer for their cancer research. His work continues to receive attention from the scientific community, offering hope for advancements in cancer treatment.