Study: A cellular protein, FGD3, boosts breast cancer chemotherapy, immunotherapy – Illinois News Bureau

Report on the Role of Protein FGD3 in Cancer Therapy and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

This report details recent findings published in the Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research concerning the protein FGD3. The research, led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, identifies FGD3’s role in enhancing the efficacy of anticancer agents. This discovery has significant implications for advancing cancer treatment and directly supports several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Key Scientific Findings and Mechanisms

The Function of FGD3 in Enhancing Anticancer Agents

Researchers have identified that the naturally occurring protein FGD3, often expressed at higher levels in breast cancer cells, significantly boosts the effectiveness of certain chemotherapies.

• FGD3 enhances the anticancer effects of doxorubicin, a widely used chemotherapy drug.
• It also boosts the efficacy of ErSO, a preclinical drug that has shown high success rates in mouse models.
• The protein’s primary function in this context is to weaken the cancer cell’s architecture, making it more susceptible to drug-induced stress.

Mechanism of Action: Lytic Cell Death and Immunogenicity

Unlike conventional anticancer drugs that cause orderly cell death (apoptosis), agents like ErSO overactivate a cellular stress pathway, causing cancer cells to swell. FGD3 facilitates the final stage of this process.

1. Anticancer drugs perturb the cancer cells, causing them to swell.
2. The presence of FGD3 weakens the cell’s structure, contributing to its rupture (lytic cell death).
3. This rupture releases cellular contents, which acts as a signal to the body’s immune system.
4. Immune cells, including natural killer cells and macrophages, are recruited to the site to eliminate remaining cancer cells, thereby enhancing anticancer immunotherapy.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

This research directly contributes to Target 3.4, which aims to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases, including cancer, through prevention and treatment.

• Improved Treatment Efficacy: By identifying a mechanism that enhances chemotherapy, the research paves the way for more effective treatments for breast cancer.
• Potential for Personalized Medicine: FGD3 levels can serve as a biomarker to predict patient response to chemotherapy. This allows for the identification of patients most likely to benefit, optimizing treatment strategies and improving outcomes.
• Reduced Drug Toxicity: By increasing the effectiveness of existing drugs, it may be possible to reduce required dosages, thereby minimizing toxic side effects for patients.
• Enhanced Immunotherapy: The discovery offers a new strategy to improve the success of immunotherapy against solid tumors like breast cancer, a current challenge in oncology.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The study exemplifies the importance of scientific research and innovation as a driver for progress, in line with Target 9.5 to enhance scientific research and upgrade technological capabilities.

• Scientific Innovation: The discovery of a novel pathway for cell death shared by multiple anticancer drugs represents a significant scientific advancement.
• Advanced Research Methodologies: The project utilized sophisticated techniques, including gene-deletion screening against 18,000 genes and the use of 3D patient-derived organoids, showcasing cutting-edge research infrastructure.
• Foundation for New Therapies: Understanding the role of FGD3 provides a new target for drug development, fostering further innovation in the pharmaceutical industry.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The success of this research highlights the power of collaboration, a core principle of SDG 17.

• Inter-Institutional Collaboration: The project involved a partnership between researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Chicago Medicine.
• Multi-Sector Funding: The research was supported by a combination of public (National Institutes of Health), private (Systems Oncology), and philanthropic (Amend Family Charitable Fund) entities, demonstrating a successful partnership model for advancing global health.

Conclusion and Future Outlook

The identification of FGD3 as a key mediator in the efficacy of certain anticancer drugs is a pivotal development in oncology research. It not only provides a deeper understanding of cancer cell biology but also offers a tangible pathway toward more effective and personalized treatments. By aligning with the core tenets of SDGs 3, 9, and 17, this research underscores the role of scientific discovery in achieving global goals for health, innovation, and collaboration. Future work will aim to determine if FGD3 plays a similar role in other types of cancer, potentially broadening the impact of these findings on a global scale.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   The article on breast cancer research connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) due to its focus on health, scientific innovation, and collaboration.

   SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • The core subject of the article is the research and development of more effective treatments for breast cancer, a major non-communicable disease (NCD). The discovery that the FGD3 protein enhances the effectiveness of anticancer agents directly contributes to improving health outcomes and well-being for cancer patients.

   SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • The article is a clear example of scientific research and innovation. It describes a novel discovery about the mechanism of anticancer drugs, the development of an experimental drug (ErSO), and the use of advanced research techniques like gene deletion screening and patient-derived organoids. This work, conducted at universities and supported by research grants, embodies the spirit of enhancing scientific research.

   SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • The research described was not conducted in isolation. The article explicitly mentions collaboration between researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Chicago Medicine. Furthermore, it highlights funding from multiple sources, including a public institution (The National Institutes of Health) and private/charitable funds (the Amend Family Charitable Fund and Systems Oncology), demonstrating a multi-stakeholder partnership to achieve a common goal.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   Based on the article’s content, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

   SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.4: “By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.” The research aims to make chemotherapy more effective and enhance immunotherapy, which directly addresses the “treatment” aspect of this target to reduce mortality from breast cancer. The article states the goal is to “identify those patients most likely to benefit from these kinds of cancer therapies,” improving treatment outcomes.
   • Target 3.b: “Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable diseases…” The entire article is about the research and development of a new preclinical drug (ErSO) and understanding the mechanisms of existing medicines (doxorubicin) for breast cancer, a major NCD.

   SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.5: “Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries… including… encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers… and public and private research and development spending.” The study, led by university professors and graduate students and funded by the NIH and other organizations, is a direct manifestation of this target. It represents an investment in scientific research and the development of a skilled research workforce.

   SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…” The article highlights a partnership between public/private universities (University of Illinois, University of Chicago) and funding from both public (NIH) and private/charitable sources (Amend Family Charitable Fund), which is a model for the effective partnerships this target aims to promote.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   The article contains several implied indicators that can measure progress towards the identified targets:

   SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Indicator for Target 3.4: The article provides data on treatment efficacy, which serves as a proxy for reducing mortality. It mentions that the experimental drug ErSO “killed 95-100% of estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer cells in a mouse model.” It also notes a “very high correlation between the level of FGD3 and whether the patient responds favorably to chemotherapy,” implying that patient response rates can be used as a metric for progress.

   SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Indicator for Target 9.5: The article itself, published in the “Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research,” is an indicator of scientific output. The mention of researchers (professors, graduate students) and funding from “The National Institutes of Health, the Amend Family Charitable Fund and Systems Oncology” implies indicators related to the number of R&D personnel and the amount of R&D expenditure.

   SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Indicator for Target 17.17: The existence of the collaboration is itself an indicator. The article names the specific institutions involved: “University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign,” “University of Chicago Medicine,” and funding bodies like the “National Institutes of Health.” The number and nature of such multi-stakeholder research projects can be used to measure progress in forming effective partnerships.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

   SDGs	Targets	Indicators
   SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being	3.4: Reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through treatment. 3.b: Support the research and development of medicines for NCDs.	– Efficacy of new treatments (e.g., “ErSO… killed 95-100% of… breast cancer cells in a mouse model”). – Patient response rates to chemotherapy based on FGD3 protein levels. – Development of new preclinical drugs (ErSO).
   SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure	9.5: Enhance scientific research, encourage innovation, and increase R&D spending and personnel.	– Publication of scientific papers (“Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research”). – Investment in R&D (Funding from “National Institutes of Health,” etc.). – Number of active researchers (professors and graduate students mentioned).
   SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals	17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.	– Number and scope of inter-institutional collaborations (University of Illinois and University of Chicago Medicine). – Formation of multi-stakeholder funding models (public NIH funding combined with private charitable funds).

Source: news.illinois.edu