A new study has investigated the influence of Kindlins– adapter proteins that exist inside cells of vertebrates, in various cancers.
- Since this protein is central to many signaling pathways, targeting it could lead to new cancer treatments that address multiple aspects of the disease at once.
- Kindlins are adapter proteins that exist inside the cells attached to the cell membranes of almost all types of cells in vertebrates.
- They transfer extracellular mechanical cues to biochemical signals inside the cells.
- Structural disruptions in these proteins can have a global impact on mechano chemical signaling, leading to disruptions in the state of balance among all the body systems needed for the body to survive and function correctly.
- This balanced state of the body is called homeostasis.
- Kindlins may undergo mutations under the influence of innumerable chemical and physical carcinogens like nicotine, ultraviolet rays and many more.
- Mutated Kindlin can potentially disrupt global mechanical homeostasis within cells. Therefore, understanding the consequences of genetic alterations in Kindlins holds the key to unraveling the intricate mechanisms leading to the growth of cancer cells.
