Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for about 13% of all lung cancer cases. Though there have been many advancements in the treatment, prognosis remain very poor for the patients. Most of the times, it is diagnosed when it has already been spread to an advanced stage. SCLC includes two distinct cell populations: NE cells and non-NE cells.
Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute in London have discovered that aggressive lung cancer cells are capable of forming their own electrical network. This is similar to neural behavior seen in the brain. The findings suggest that this could make lung cancer cells less dependent on the environment surrounding tumors and let you spread more easily.
In this study, the researchers assessed the electrical activity in human and mouse SCLC samples. They found that SCLC cells were able to generate their own electrical activity and build an electrical network within the tumor. As the SCLC progressed, genes enabling electrical communication were switched on in NE cells. On the other hand, genes responsible for producing a supportive environment were activated in non-NE cells.
“Our work shows that NE cells in SCLC have the ability to go ‘off-grid’, starting to generate their own electrical supply, and also being fueled by supportive non-NE cells rather than the energy sources used by most other cells,” said Paola Peinado Fernandez, postdoctoral fellow and co-lead author on the study, in a news release.
The researchers found that non-NE cells in mice did not spread or form tumor elsewhere. They also analyzed molecular markers of electrical activity in patients with SCLC and found these markers were elevated in cancer cells in comparison to healthy cells. “There’s still a long way to go to understand the biological impact of this electrical activity and the specific disease mechanisms that make the tumor more aggressive and harder to treat,” said Li.
The information shared in this blog is for educational purposes only.
Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Facebook or Twitter today to stay informed and never miss an update!