Outsmarting Cancer Cells: Researchers Learn How They Spread

Understanding how to gain access into the lymphatic network is significant and will have a strong impact in the fields of cancer and immune research.

Saint Louis University scientists have identified a novel mechanism to control the traffic of cells and fluid from tissues to lymphatic vessels. It may be possible to harness this mechanism to fight cancer spread from one organ to another organ and improve the effectiveness of vaccines.

The lymphatic system is an extensive fluid transit system, consisting of vessels in the body. It defends the body against infection.

SLU scientists have found that molecules known as CRSBP-1 (also termed LYVE-1) ligands, which are a group of growth factors and cytokines, bind to CRSBP-1 receptors, which are located on the surface of lymphatic vessels. This stimulates a response, and acts like a token to gain entry to the lymphatic vessel n