A new study from Israeli scientists at Tel Aviv University (TAU) and the Sheba Medical Center has revealed how melanoma cancer cells can form new lymphatic vessels in the dermis, the middle layer of the skin, in order to spread to other parts of the body. The researchers believe that this discovery could lead to new treatments for melanoma, including vaccines.
The study was funded by ICRF (the IsraelCancer Research Fund) and its results appeared in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology published in the journal Nature.
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This is just the latest breakthrough in cancer research to come out of Israel. For example, in April Jewish Business News reported on how another team of Israeli scientists- also from TAU – made another advance in the treatment of cancer. Those researchers said say they found a way to treat ovarian cancer using RNA-based nanodrugs.
The new study was led by Prof. Carmit Levy of TAU’s Faculty of Medicine and Prof. Shoshana Greenberger. Levy and her team found that melanoma cells produce a protein called VEGF-C, which stimulates the growth of new lymphatic vessels. These new lymphatic vessels provide a pathway for the cancer cells to travel to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes and the liver.
Melanosomes are small, sac-like structures that contain melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color. They are produced by melanocytes, specialized cells in the skin. Melanosomes are then transferred to keratinocytes, the cells that make up the outer layer of the skin.
In melanoma, melanocytes become cancerous and begin to grow out of control. They can also release melanosomes into the surrounding tissue. These melanosomes can then bind to lymph vessels, which are small vessels that carry lymph fluid away from the tissues.
When melanosomes bind to lymph vessels, they can signal the lymph vessels to grow and expand. This can create a pathway for the melanoma cells to travel through the body and metastasize to other organs.
The research by Prof. Greenberger and her team provides new insights into how melanoma spreads. It also suggests that targeting melanosomes may be a new way to prevent or treat melanoma metastasis.
The researchers also found that melanoma cells can evade the immune system by hiding in the lymphatic vessels. This makes it difficult for the immune system to detect and destroy the cancer cells.
The new study provides important insights into how melanoma cells spread. This knowledge could lead to the development of new treatments that target the lymphatic system and the immune system, said the team.
Here are some of the potential benefits of this discovery that the Tel Aviv University researchers say will come:
It could lead to the development of new vaccines against melanoma.
It could lead to the development of new drugs that target the lymphatic system.
It could lead to the development of new immunotherapy treatments that boost the immune system’s ability to fight melanoma.
The researchers are continuing to study the mechanisms by which melanoma cells form new lymphatic vessels and evade the immune system. They hope that this research will lead to the development of new and effective treatments for this deadly cancer.
Further research is needed to determine the best way to target melanosomes in melanoma. However, the research by Prof. Greenberger and her team, she says, provides a promising new approach to preventing and treating this deadly disease.
