Protein discovered in Sheffield could prevent kidney cancer

May 9, 2018May 10, 2018 Monica Kutrowski 1117 Views 0 Comments health, kidney cancer, protein, Sheffield

A new protein discovered by Sheffield Researchers could suppress kidney cancer.

Dr Maria Fragiadaki and Dr Martin Zeidler from Dept of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease and Bateson Centre at the University of Shefffield investigated proteins ankyrin repeat and single KH domain 1 (ANKHD1).

They found that ANKHD1 exists in a large number of kidney cancer patients and showed that ANKHD1 interacts with micro RNA.

Dr Maria Fragiadaki said: “What would really interest me is if we find a specific microRNA target, which we could trial on patients with kidney cancer’

MicroRNAs are currently being developed for treat several cancers including leukemias.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) acts as a messenger to carry instructions to build proteins while Micro RNAs switches the production of RNA on or off.

When Dr Fragiadaki was questioned about how she feels about her new publication, she said: Usually I try to detach feeling from research, in order to remain self-critical; however I am fascinated by new discoveries made by ourselves and others. It is this fascination that keeps me highly engaged in research.

“I guess I am also hopeful that something useful might come out of this in the next 10 years.”

Kidney cancer is the seventh most common adulthood cancer in the UK with around 12,500 new cases each year.

The published journal containing Dr Martin Zeidler and Dr Maria Fragiadaki’s findings can be found here.

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