Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 4E Protein Linked to Cancer

Researchers have found that high levels of a specific protein found in human cells may be linked to tumor growth.

"This protein is one the most important initiation factors in this cellular pathway, and there is a lot of energy in the cell that goes into regulating the level and availability of it," said UC Davis Professor Christopher Fraser, who discusses the importance of eukaryotic initiation 4E, a protein that acts as upon cancer-promoting messenger RNA molecules, via a press release. "To suddenly find this function is quite a transformative idea in the field; people can now try and study this new activity and its relation to growth-promotion and cancer."

The study notes that elevated eIF4E levels were found in 30 percent of all major cancers, including the protein that is already a target of pharmaceutical research. Clinical trials are currently underway to act upon the eIF4E's long-known function helping to bind the cap at the head of all mRNA.

However, while working on the study, the authors note that the protein's  cap-binding abilities do not fully explain the compounds relationship to cancer, according to the release.  

While studying a region of mRNA strands, researchers found that each must be unwound before a ribosome can bind and begin cellular translation of the genetic code. Yet when high levels of 4E is present, it binds to the protein and can form a knot that may trigger a tumor.

Professor Nahum Sonenberg of McGill University made this discovery back in 1978 through his research.

"This is really a big discovery -- it explains a lot of the biology that we have. At the beginning of my talks I used to emphasize that mRNAs are eIF4E-sensitive, but people would ask 'how does it work?' and I never had an answer," Sonenberg said, via the release. "In the last month, I have been able to mention Chris Fraser's paper and finally provide an explanation."

"It has made my life much easier," he added.

The study notes that now researchers are able to add to the stimulation of 4A and the unwinding activity to 4E's through long-known and separate binding activity.

What do you think?

More information regarding the study can be found via the Aug. 13 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.