New study from VCU Massey Center sheds light on liver cancer’s genetic roots

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University's (VCU) Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center have discovered a new genetic target that could possibly shape the future of treatment for liver cancer.

According to the university, Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is a common type of liver cancer and the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths around the world -- but thanks to research from Devanand Sarkar, M.B.B.S., Ph.D -- the future of patient treatment looks bright, due to the discovery of the role that the TAF2 gene plays in the growth of this type of cancer.

Sakar and other scientists at VCU Massey Center determined that TAF2 is widespread in HCC patients in comparison to individuals with healthy livers. By using preclinical research, it was discovered that TAF2 controls the overall survival of hepatocytes, which are the functional cells of the liver and tumor formation.

Recently, this study was published in the online journal, Hepatology, which also shows how TAF2 cooperates with the MYC gene -- another significant driver of cancer that accelerates tumor growth.

With this study being the earliest to research TAF2's role in cancer, the university said Sakar is ready to explore new treatment approaches for HCC patients through developing new therapies that specifically target TAF2.

“Ours is the first in vivo study to show that TAF2 can help in promoting HCC,” said Sarkar, the associate director for research training and education who holds the Harrison Foundation Distinguished Professorship in Cancer Research at Massey, as well as a professor of cellular, molecular and genetic medicine at the VCU School of Medicine. “Once you identify a new gene, that allows you to develop a combination therapy, which we hope would be more effective compared to single gene treatment.”

According to VCU, the study was made achievable through a grant for $13 million from the National Cancer Institute -- awarded to Sakar and four other researchers from the Massey Center -- Arun Sanyal, M.D., Huiping Zhou, Ph.D., Shawn Wang, Ph.D. and Paul B. Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., FNAI.

“There is an important need to better understand the disease process, the molecules that regulate the disease, and find if it’s possible to develop some kind of targeted treatment,” Sarkar said. “That’s why I chose to focus my research on TAF2.”