Medical Design and Outsourcing

  • Home
  • Medical Device Business
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Financial
    • Regulatory
  • Applications
    • Cardiovascular
    • Devices
    • Imaging
    • Implantables
    • Medical Equipment
    • Orthopedic
    • Surgical
  • Technologies
    • Supplies and Components Index
    • Contract Manufacturing
    • Components
    • Electronics
    • Extrusions
    • Materials
    • Motion Control
    • Prototyping
    • Pumps
    • Tubing
  • MedTech Resources
    • Medtech Events in 2025
    • The 2024 Medtech Big 100
    • Medical Device Handbook
    • MedTech 100 Index
    • Subscribe to Print Magazine
    • DeviceTalks
    • Digital Editions
    • eBooks
    • Educational Assets
    • Manufacturer Search
    • Podcasts
    • Print Subscription
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers
    • Voices
    • Views
    • Video
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Women in Medtech
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

New Research: Protein Can Slow Intestinal Tumor Growth

April 23, 2018 By Stockholm University

A new mechanism for regulating stem cells in the intestine of fruit flies has been discovered by researchers at Stockholm University. In addition, it was discovered that a certain protein can slow the growth of tumors in intestinal tissue. A better understanding of these mechanisms can teach us more about how diseases in human intestines occur, as well as contribute to the development of new medicine to cure them. The results are now being published in the scientific journal Stem Cell Reports.

In a healthy intestine, the intestinal mucosa continuously regenerates from immature cells, so-called stem cells. Cell proliferation must be regulated in order to occur at the same rate as the elimination of old, damaged cells. A too rapid proliferation of stem cells may cause tumours, and a too slow proliferation may lead to the intestinal walls not regenerating normally, which results in inflammation.

By studying intestinal regeneration in fruit flies, the researchers discovered a new mechanism used by gut cells to determine whether they should continue to divide or instead mature and develop into specialised cells with specific functions. The fruit fly’s intestine has many similarities to human intestines and is thus often used in research to study how stem cells are regulated and how tumours are formed.

(Image credit: Ylva Engström)

The researchers found that a gene in the fruit fly called Nubbin creates two variants of protein, Nub-PB and Nub-PD, which have opposite effects on the formation and maturity of stem cells. In a normal, healthy intestine, these two proteins are balanced and complement each other. When there is more of Nub-PB in relation to Nub-PD, the cells will mature more rapidly. When the researchers instead increased the level of Nub-PD in relation to Nub-PB, new stem cells were formed, and when there was a complete lack of Nub-PB, these cells were unable to mature and tumors were formed.

“One may compare it to Yin and Yang, the two extremities in Chinese philosophy that counteract each other and create balance together,” says Ylva Engström, professor at the Department of Molecular Biosciences at Stockholm University and responsible for the study.

In addition, it was discovered that Nub-PB can slow the growth of tumors in the fruit fly’s intestine. The researchers created tumors through genetic manipulation, but when they simultaneously increased the amount of Nub-PB in the intestinal cells, no tumors were formed. Nub-PB is thus a so-called “tumor suppressor”.

A closely related protein is also present in humans; it is called Oct1 and is, in turn, closely related to Oct4. Oct1 has been proven to have many links to tumor diseases in humans, and it appears that Oct1 is often mutated in such cases. Oct4 is a well-studied stem cell factor with the ability to enable human cells to divide and function just like stem cells.

“A disruption of the balance between these regulators can have very serious consequences and lead to inflammation, infections and tumors,” says Ylva Engström.

In the long run, a better understanding of these mechanisms can teach us more about how intestinal diseases occur, as well as contribute to the development of new medicine to prevent and cure them.

Related Articles Read More >

Min-Vasive Medtech: Live interviews and audience Q&As with minimally invasive engineers from Edwards Lifesciences, Jupiter Endo and Compremium
This is a screenshot of the remote robotic surgery technical guidelines appearing in the World Journal of Surgery.
New technical guidelines set to advance remote robotic surgery
An illustration of Embolization Inc.'s Nitinol Enhanced Device (NED).
This nitinol vascular embolization device has another shape memory material up its sleeve
A photo of nitinol, a nickel-titanium alloy used for medical devices such as stents, heart valves, catheters and orthopedics.
What is nitinol and where is it used?
“mdo
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest medical device business news, application and technology trends.

DeviceTalks Weekly

See More >

MDO Digital Edition

Digital Edition

Subscribe to Medical Design & Outsourcing. Bookmark, share and interact with the leading medical design engineering magazine today.

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.
DeviceTalks

DeviceTalks is a conversation among medical technology leaders. It's events, podcasts, webinars and one-on-one exchanges of ideas & insights.

DeviceTalks

New MedTech Resource

Medical Tubing

MassDevice

Mass Device

The Medical Device Business Journal. MassDevice is the leading medical device news business journal telling the stories of the devices that save lives.

Visit Website
MDO ad
Medical Design and Outsourcing
  • MassDevice
  • DeviceTalks
  • MedTech100 Index
  • Medical Tubing + Extrusion
  • Medical Design Sourcing
  • Drug Delivery Business News
  • Drug Discovery & Development
  • Pharmaceutical Processing World
  • R&D World
  • About Us/Contact
  • Advertise With Us
  • Subscribe to Print Magazine
  • Subscribe to our E-Newsletter
  • Listen to our Weekly Podcasts
  • Join our DeviceTalks Tuesdays Discussion

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media LLC. Site Map | Privacy Policy | RSS

Search Medical Design & Outsourcing

  • Home
  • Medical Device Business
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Financial
    • Regulatory
  • Applications
    • Cardiovascular
    • Devices
    • Imaging
    • Implantables
    • Medical Equipment
    • Orthopedic
    • Surgical
  • Technologies
    • Supplies and Components Index
    • Contract Manufacturing
    • Components
    • Electronics
    • Extrusions
    • Materials
    • Motion Control
    • Prototyping
    • Pumps
    • Tubing
  • MedTech Resources
    • Medtech Events in 2025
    • The 2024 Medtech Big 100
    • Medical Device Handbook
    • MedTech 100 Index
    • Subscribe to Print Magazine
    • DeviceTalks
    • Digital Editions
    • eBooks
    • Educational Assets
    • Manufacturer Search
    • Podcasts
    • Print Subscription
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers
    • Voices
    • Views
    • Video
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Women in Medtech
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe