Possible therapy for basal subtype of bladder cancer identified

Nov. 12, 2020

Researchers at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center have identified a promising targeted therapy against the basal subtype of bladder cancer by screening 3-D cell cultures, according to a press release.

MEK inhibitors showed the strongest response against the basal molecular subtype, the research group reported in Oncotarget.

“It’s becoming more and more clear that culturing cells in a medium that allows them to grow in three dimensions more faithfully recreates the way cancer cells grow and respond inside a human body,” says study lead author Nathan Merrill, PhD. “Screens in 2-D cell cultures can identify false leads and also miss compounds that have a profound responses.”

To look for new targeted therapies against bladder cancer, the group screened more than 650 investigational compounds and 17 bladder cancer cell lines.

Along with identifying leads for new therapeutic approaches, the goal of the work was to contribute a large, 3-D screening resource to the field, Merrill adds.

The researchers plan to continue to work to test additional therapeutic options for patients with bladder cancer and to investigate the specific molecular features of the basal subtype to see if the sensitivity to MEK might be applicable to other cancer subtypes. 

Visit the University of Michigan for more news

ID 315754768 © Monthira Yodtiwong | Dreamstime.com
dreamstime_xxl_315754768
ID 86265051 | Acute Myeloid Leukemia © salinrat prasatkaew | Dreamstime.com
dreamstime_xxl_86265051
ID 335007634 © Tetiana Kitura | Dreamstime.com
dreamstime_xxl_335007634
ID 310202522 © Oleksandra Tsvid | Dreamstime.com
dreamstime_xxl_310202522