Scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have discovered
how an immune system protein, called AIM2 (Absent in Melanoma 2), plays a
role in determining the aggressiveness of colon cancer. They found that
AIM2 deficiency causes uncontrolled proliferation of intestinal cells.
Surprisingly, they also discovered that AIM2 influences the
microbiota, the population of gut bacteria, apparently fostering the
proliferation of “good” bacteria that can protect against colon cancer. The
team, led by Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti, Ph.D., a member of the St. Jude
Department of Immunology, published their findings in a recent issue of
the journal Cell.
“Since reduced AIM2 activity in colorectal cancer patients is
associated with poor survival, it might be useful to detect the level of
AIM2 expression in polyps taken from colonoscopy and use this as one of
the biomarkers for prognosis,” Kanneganti said.
Kanneganti and
her team believe that it might be possible to prevent the disease or
reduce its risk by treating susceptible people to increase AIM2 activity
and give them healthy donor bacteria. “In people who already have
colorectal cancer, therapies that boost the expression of AIM2, such as
interferons, might reduce tumor progression. Also, transferring healthy
microbiota or a group of ‘good’ bacteria to patients with colorectal
cancer at the early stage of disease may prolong survival,” Kanneganti
said.
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