Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute scientists have uncovered a two-pronged defence against aggressive bowel cancer, published in the journal Cancer Cell¹.

Our researchers have shown that a single protein damps down the activity of two separate factors involved in colorectal cancer spread - their findings could explain why some with the disease survive for longer, and offer doctors a tool for stratifying patients.

In the study, the group showed that TIAM1 blocks the activity of both TAZ and YAP, leading to suppression of the movement of colon cancer cells. In each cell, the molecule shuttles between compartments - the nucleus and the surrounding cytoplasm - controlling the action of TAZ and YAP in two distinct ways.

Dr Angeliki Malliri, who led the study, said: “Our results suggest that in bowel cancer, TIAM1 plays a really useful role in slowing tumour spread.

“This matches with what we see in patient samples - high levels of TIAM1 are linked to better survival. There is clear potential to use this information in the clinic.”

¹TIAM1 antagonizes TAZ/YAP both in the destruction complex in the cytoplasm and in the nucleus to inhibit invasion of intestinal epithelial cells. Diamantopoulou et al. (2017) Cancer Cell 31, 621-634.