Scientists have determined how some leukemia cells resist treatment by current cancer drugs, opening the door to new ways of treating such cancers.
The team examined drug-resistant cancer cells in the lab and found that they had higher levels of a family of enzymes called UGT1A as well as another enzyme called GLI1.Together, these enzymes result in a molecule called glucuronic acid getting added onto cancer drugs, which alters the drug’s ability to kill cancer cells.
By inhibiting these enzymes, scientists could increase the effectiveness of established leukemia drugs like ribavirin and Ara-C.
Original research paper published in the the journal Nature on May 28, 2014.
Names and affiliations of selected authors
