LRP6 may boost cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth
Last Updated: November 05, 2004



NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related
protein-6 (LRP6) appears to be linked to cancer cell proliferation
and tumorigenesis, researchers report in the December online edition
of Oncogene.


Dr. Guojun Bu of the Washington University School of Medicine in St.
Louis, Missouri, and colleagues note that LRP6 has an established
role in embryonic development and "is readily expressed at the
transcript level in several human cancer cell lines and human
malignant tissues." Its role in tumorigenesis is unclear.

The researchers took slow-growing human fibrosarcoma cells and
altered the LRP6 gene so that it made more of the protein. As a
result, the authors report, there was "a significant increase in
Wnt/beta-catenin signaling and cell proliferation." This promoted
cell proliferation in culture, colony formation in soft agar, and
tumor formation in nude mice.

The investigators also found increased LRP6 gene activity in breast
and colon cancer tissue samples from patients. They note that gene
activity was high in 5 of 8 breast cancer samples.

Dr. Goujun said in a statement that "it appears that an increase of
LRP6 alone may lead to breast cancer in these cases." Thus, "LRP6 may
be the missing link, the long-sought component that turns up the
activity of this signaling pathway."

Overall, the investigators conclude "that LRP6 may function as a
potential oncogenic protein by modulating Wnt/beta-catenin signaling."





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