Semaphorins, I Knew Thee Well…
Written by Dr. Jeffery Herman // May 10, 2011 // Cancer // No comments
Scientists in John Hopkins, show the importance of semaphorin proteins, a novel class of protein guidance cues, in the developing nervous system of fruits flies and mice. Semaphorins are a well known guidance protein in the nervous system, but which also play a role in the development of other organ systems as well.
It is an interesting study, which you can read at Johns Hopkins scientists reveal nerve cells’ navigation system.
Semaphorins have a place in my heart, because it was these protein which were the basis for my PhD thesis and my first two scientific papers. But rather than studying their effects in the nervous system, or their effect in the development of other organs, my research focused on their role in cancer, specificically prostate cancer.
Semaphorins are widely differentially expressed in prostate cancer, and I found that, in prostate cancer, very closely related proteins can have very different effects when over expressed in cancer cell lines. Additionally, with the presence of certain signaling cues, the activity of some semaphorins can actually be completely reversed. In one study, I found that the addition of the iron chelator, transferrin to cell media, caused the anti-invasive sema3E protein to become pro-invasive.
Well they say you never forget your first, and I always like to read up on where semaphorin research is going.
Below, I’ve posted my two papers for your perusal.
