来自芬兰国家技术研究中心的研究人员通过和图尔库大学、印第安纳大学以及生物治疗公司、Pharmatest服务公司这两个芬兰同行合作研究，发现了乳腺癌骨转移新的调控机制，同时，发现类肝素化合物能够用来抑制乳腺癌的骨转移。
这些发现在2012年的4月20日被发表在了《肿瘤分子研究》这本期刊的网站上。
芬兰国家技术研究中心的研究人员通过对乳腺癌细胞使用以RNA干扰素为基础的筛选方法，发现了一种修饰硫酸乙酰肝素粘多糖的酶HS6ST2，它对乳腺癌和骨细胞间相互作用有重要调控作用。通常被用来作为抗凝剂肝素也能对这种调控机制产生抑制作用。
在老鼠模型上的乳腺癌骨转移实验表明，类肝素化合物减少了骨损害及骨上肿瘤的生长。相比于肝素，由生物治疗公司研发的一种类肝素化合物能显著的减弱抗凝血性，这样便提高了它作为一种可能的癌症治疗剂的适用性。
乳腺癌的骨转移现在还是不治之症，其发病率和死亡率都很高。
相关文献
Heparin-like Polysaccharides Reduce Osteolytic Bone Destruction and Tumor Growth in a Mouse Model of Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis.
Mol Cancer Res 2012;105:597-604
TGF-β regulates several steps in cancer metastasis, including the establishment of bone metastatic lesions. TGF-β is released from bone during osteoclastic bone resorption and it stimulates breast cancer cells to produce osteolytic factors such as interleukin 11 (IL-11). We conducted a cell-based siRNA screen and identified heparan sulfate 6-O-sulfotransferase 2 (HS6ST2) as a critical gene for TGF-β-induced IL-11 production in highly bone metastatic MDA-MB-231(SA) breast cancer cells. HS6ST2 attaches sulfate groups to glucosamine residues in heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans. We subsequently showed how heparin and a high-molecular-weight Escherichia coli K5-derived heparin-like polysaccharide (K5-NSOS) inhibited TGF-β-induced IL-11 production in MDA-MB-231(SA) cells. In addition, K5-NSOS inhibited bone resorption activity of human osteoclasts in vitro. We evaluated the therapeutic potential of K5-NSOS and fragmin in a mouse model of breast cancer bone metastasis. MDA-MB-231(SA) cells were inoculated into the left cardiac ventricle of athymic nude mice which were treated with fragmin, K5-NSOS, or vehicle once a day for four weeks. Both heparin-like glycosaminoglycans inhibited weight reduction, decreased osteolytic lesion area, and reduced tumor burden in bone. In conclusion, our data imply novel mechanisms involved in TGF-β induction and support the critical role of heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans in cancer metastasis as well as indicate that K5-NSOS is a potential antimetastatic and antiresorptive agent for cancer therapy. This study illustrates the potential to translate in vitro siRNA screening results toward in vivo therapeutic concepts. Mol Cancer Res; 10(5); 597-604. ©2012 AACR.
