2026-02-18 15:01:13
Blocking a single protein inside cells could dramatically slow colorectal cancer, scientists claim.
Researchers in South Korea discovered that shutting down a gene called NSMF – which produces a protein helping cancer cells survive rapid division – caused tumours to enter what they described as “irreversible cellular aging”.
Normally, colorectal cancer cells multiply quickly, with NSMF driving DNA damage and new mutations that fuel tumour growth.
But when scientists blocked the gene in laboratory tests and in mice, tumour growth slowed sharply – and in some cases stopped.
In mouse experiments, removing NSMF led to significantly fewer intestinal growths. The animals also lived 33.5 per cent longer on average than those that still had the gene.
Crucially, researchers reported no noticeable harm to healthy intestinal cells, raising hopes the approach could target cancer without the widespread damage caused by chemotherapy.
Dr Kyeong Jin Shin, a cancer expert at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), said: “Our findings suggest that NSMF is a promising… target.
“By inducing a state of permanent aging in cancer cells, we can effectively stop tumor growth without harming normal tissues.”
The study, published in Nucleic Acids Research, involved blocking the NSMF-made protein with antibodies in human colorectal cancer cells.
In a separate experiment, scientists bred mice lacking the gene with mice prone to intestinal tumours and monitored them for up to 20 weeks.
While blocking NSMF reduced tumour growth, it did not completely eliminate the cancer. Researchers also cautioned that it is not yet clear how the gene could be safely switched off in humans.
Professor Young Chan Chae, who co-led the study, said: “This research uncovers a previously unknown role for NSMF in colorectal cancer.
“Developing inhibitors against this protein could offer a novel treatment approach that causes cancer cells to naturally age and die, providing a potential new avenue for therapy.”
The findings come amid a worrying rise in colorectal cancer among younger adults, with cases in under-50s having roughly doubled since the mid-1990s.
Scientists say more research is needed, but the discovery could mark an important first step towards more targeted – and potentially less toxic – treatments.
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