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Cancer

Kip moving

Nature volume 428, pages 705–708 (2004)Cite this article

The p27Kip1 protein inhibits cell proliferation, helping to prevent tumours developing. We now know that it also affects cell migration, by regulating Rho proteins. Does this function influence tumour progression?

Tumours arise when cells proliferate in an uncontrolled manner and, later, take on malignant characteristics, such as the ability to invade surrounding tissues. Particularly aggressive tumours can also metastasize — they spread to distant organs. These changes in tumour-cell properties are driven by alterations that favour various steps in the process: for instance, lower concentrations of the tumour-suppressor protein p27Kip1 lead to deregulated cell proliferation and so are thought to promote tumour formation. There are hints that this protein might also control other stages of cancer development; notably, it regulates cell migration — a prerequisite for metastasis. Writing in Genes and Development, Besson et al.1 suggest how it does so. Whether or not this property does indeed contribute to cancer progression remains to be seen.

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Figure 1: Dual function of a tumour suppressor.

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  1. Division of Cell Biology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, Amsterdam, 1066 CX, The Netherlands

    John G. Collard

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  1. John G. Collard
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Collard, J. Kip moving. Nature 428, 705–708 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/428705a

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