09 Feb Anti-Cancer Agent May Have Simultaneous Regenerative Properties
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Lum
Lawrence Lum, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Virginia Murchison Linthicum Scholar in Medical Research
UT Southwestern Medical Center
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Scarring of the adult heart due to excessive fibrotic responses is common after a heart attack, or following radiation therapy for the treatment of certain cancers. We have identified an anti-cancer agent currently in clinical development called WNT-974 that decreases fibrotic responses and improves heart function following myocardial infarction in mice. This unexpected observation was the outcome of a study focused on identifying unwanted adult tissue toxicities associated with this class of chemicals.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: Anti-cancer agents in development such as WNT-974 that disable the production of secreted Wnt proteins should also be evaluated for their potential utility in regenerative medicine.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: Other adult tissues in addition to the heart may also see improvements in regeneration following transient suppression of Wnt protein production as a consequence of mitigated fibrotic responses. These possibilities should be further investigated.
MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.
Citation:
Jesung Moon, Huanyu Zhou, Li-shu Zhang, Wei Tan, Ying Liu, Shanrong Zhang, Lorraine K. Morlock, Xiaoping Bao, Sean P. Palecek, Jian Q. Feng, Noelle S. Williams, James F. Amatruda, Eric N. Olson, Rhonda Bassel-Duby, and Lawrence Lum
Blockade to pathological remodeling of infarcted heart tissue using a porcupine antagonist
PNAS 2017 ; published ahead of print January 31, 2017, doi:10.1073/pnas.1621346114
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Last Updated on February 9, 2017 by Marie Benz MD FAAD