ASPIC

O stem cell factor (SCF) e seu receptor tirosina quinase c-KIT têm vindo a ser implicados na carcinogénese de tecidos reprodutivos masculinos e femininos. Vários estudos têm igualmente descrito que a expressão do sistema SCF/c-KIT, o qual está envolvido no controle de processos biológicos, como a apoptose, sobrevivência celular, diferenciação e migração, é controlada por hormonas. Este cenário leva-nos a questionar se uma ação hormonal desregulada afetando a normal expressão do SCF/c-KIT pode representar um marco importante na carcinogénese.

Authors and Afilliations:
Luís Silva Monteiro ¹, Márcio Diniz-Freitas ², Saman Warnakulasuriya ³, Tomás Garcia-Caballero ⁴, Jerónimo Forteza ⁵, Máximo Fraga ⁶

¹ Medicine and Oral Surgery Department, Instituto Universitario de Ciências da Saúde Norte, Paredes, C.P. 4585-116, Portugal

iBET researchers developed a new 3D cell culture model to study the impact of the immune microenvironment of solid tumours in tumour progression and therapeutic response. Cancer drug discovery has been limited by high rates of failure in clinical trials, despite positive laboratory tests suggesting good drug activity. Several types of tumour cell models are used in research labs and by the pharmaceutical industry for discovery and pre-clinical testing of new anti-cancer drugs.

Authors and Affiliations:

Faleiro I^1,2,3, Apolónio JD^1,2,3, Price AJ⁴, De Mello RA^1,3, Roberto VP^1,2,3, Tabori U⁵, Castelo-Branco P^1,2,3.

1. Department of Biomedical Sciences & Medicine, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Edifício 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.

2. Centre for Biomedical Research (CBMR), University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.

3. Algarve Biomedical Center, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal.

O cancro pancreático representa um dos cancros com maior taxa de mortalidade devido a um diagnóstico tardio, resultado da escassez de biomarcadores e estratégias terapêuticas. A procura de novos biomarcadores que possibilitem o diagnóstico em fases iniciais da doença é um dos maiores desafios para este tipo de cancro e avanços nesta área iriam possibilitar o tratamento atempado da doença antes da sua progressão.

Autores e Afiliações:

Henrique O. Duarte^1,2,3, Meritxell Balmaña^1,2, Stefan Mereiter^1,2, Hugo Osório^1,2,4, Joana Gomes^1,2 and Celso A. Reis^1,2,3,4

¹Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal

²Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135 Porto, Portugal

Cell surface receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) play a central role in the initiation, promotion and progression of multiple human cancers, by triggering the aberrant activation of downstream signaling pathways implicated in malignant cell phenotype and behavior. In particular, overexpression of the human epidermal growth factor 2 (ErbB2) RTK constitutes a well-established molecular driver of carcinogenesis. RTK maturation is tightly regulated by protein N-linked glycosylation.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. The etiological factors and pathogenic mechanisms underlying CRC development appear to be complex and heterogeneous. The majority of CRC cases occur sporadically, arising through the sequential accumulation of multiple genetic and/or epigenetic alterations involving genes that regulate cell growth and differentiation.