New therapeutic target for the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma

Results published in a British journal intestineprovide new hope for the fight against a disease whose incidence has been increasing in recent years. Cholangiocarcinoma represents one of the greatest therapeutic challenges in oncology, as current treatments have limited effectiveness.

The Cima research group, together with its national and international collaborators, has identified a therapeutic target, the enzyme PRMT5, which plays a critical role in the progression of CCA. This discovery opens up new possibilities for developing more effective treatments.

Promising results in experimental models

“The study shows that PRMT5 enzyme levels are increased in patients with CCA, and this increase is associated with later stages of the disease. By blocking the PRMT5 enzyme using drugs already approved to treat other types of tumors, we were able to stop the growth of OCA tumor cells.“, reveals andl Dr. Matias AvilaResearch Director and Co-Director Cima Solid Tumor Programintegrated into the oncology center of Clínica Universidad de Navarra.

Moreover, they observed that the combination of these inhibitors with traditional chemotherapy significantly increased the antitumor effect. These results were confirmed in preclinical mouse models and showed great therapeutic potential.

The study highlights the importance of epigenetic changes in CCA and suggests that PRMT5 is a promising therapeutic target. Additionally, it offers greater insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in the aggressiveness of this tumor type. These results could lead to new clinical trials that could significantly improve treatment for this disease.

International support and European funding

The research project was partly funded by the Spanish Association Against Cancer and CIBEREHD within the international project TRANSCAN-3, as well as by the Eugenio Rodriguez Pascual Foundation.

The international competition TRANSCAN-3 is an international initiative co-funded by the European Union within the framework of Horizon 2020. In this competition, the Scientific Foundation of the Spanish Association Against Cancer, together with 24 other organizations from 17 countries, collaborates in funding. translation projects in the field of cancer. Dr. Matias Avila’s project “New strategies for improving the diagnosis and treatment of biliary tract cancer” has funding of 1,300,000 euros.

This study, led by Dr. Matías Ávila, involved Dr. José Juan García Marín (University of Salamanca -USAL- and IBSAL), Dr. Maria Luz Martínez-Chantar (Center for Collaborative Research in Biosciences – CIC bioGUNE) and Dr. Javier Cubero (Scient. Gregorio Marañon Health Research Institute – IiSGM – Complutense University of Madrid), belonging to the Network Biomedical Research Center for Liver and Digestive Diseases (CIBEREHD). “In addition, the study included researchers from Germany, Italy and Poland, whose support was essential to carry out this cutting-edge work,” concludes Dr. Avila.

Bibliographic link:

Identification of PRMT5 as a therapeutic target for cholangiocarcinoma. intestine. September 11, 2024: gutjnl-2024-332998. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2024-332998.

Fountain: CIMA University of Navarra