Van Andel Institute and Novartis discover new method of eradicating cancer cells
August 27th, 2008
Who knew that enzyme PI3K-C2alpha is needed in order for certain cancer cells to live and thrive? Nobody. Until recently.
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By lowering levels of PI3K-C2alpha, a phosphoinositide 3-kinase enzyme, researchers at Grand Rapids-based Van Andel Institute and Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research discovered that pancreatic, prostate and lung cancer cells died. The procedure also kept cells from reproducing, and it sensitized cancer cells, making them more receptive to chemotherapy drugs like Taxol.