Researchers have developed a test called "BH3 profiling" to determine the levels of the Bcl-2 proteins in cancer cells, thus determining the susceptibility of such cells to a new class of anticancer drugs that targets the Bcl-2.

Bcl-2 is considered to be an anti-apoptosis protein, which promote the survival of cells that are damaged or abnormal despite the bodys efforts to eliminate them through apoptosis. Drugs such as ABT-737 neutralizes Bcl-2, thus liberating the pro-apoptosis signaling molecules,a nd triggering a cascade of events leading to cancer cell death.

BH3 profiling thus identify which cancers are likely to respond to such Bcl-2 inhibitors.

In developing the test, the Letai team first isolated mitochondria from cancer cells; then they exposed them to protein fragments - peptides - that were known to interact with survival molecules like Bcl-2. "If they interact, then the cell is primed to die, and the test will identify which of the survival molecules is keeping the cells alive," he added. "Then you know that to kill the cell, you have to target Bcl-2."

The test is still under development, to make the profiling operation more automated and make it applicable to a routine diagnostic use.

Source: Dana Institute