Key Protein in Huntingdon's Disease Is Predictor of Colon Cancer

University of Michigan researchers report that a key protein in Huntingdon's disease, a hereditary disorder of the central nervous system, appears to be a strong predictor of colon and prostate cancer.

The huntingtin interacting protein or HIP1, which never before has been associated with any kind of cancer, is absent in normal colon and prostate epithelial cells but found in large amounts in colon and prostate cancer cells, the researchers reported in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

"We don't find significant HIP1 expression in normal prostate epithelial cells, but as prostate cancer develops and progresses, we see a steady increase in HIP1 expression," Ross said.

"High levels of HIP1 were present in every stage of colon cancer," Ross added. "In melanoma, breast and ovarian cancers, the expression patterns varied, but HIP1 was consistently over-expressed."

Ross said that if scientists can discover the functional relationship between HIP1 and cancer, it should be possible to develop agents that could kill colon and prostate tumor cells without harming the normal epithelial cells lining the inside of these organs.

Other Sources: Journal of Clinical Investigation