某抗生素抗癌效果显著

An antibiotic¹ known for its immunosuppressive（抑制免疫力的） functions could also point the way to the development of new anti-cancer agents, researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine have reported. The study determined² that the compound, tautomycetin, targets an enzyme³ called SHP2, which plays an important role in cell activities such as proliferation（增殖，扩散） and differentiation⁴. Interestingly, SHP2 mutations are also known to cause several types of leukemia（白血病） and solid tumors. The findings were reported in the Jan. 28, 2011, issue of the journal Chemistry and Biology. #

The potential for developing anti-cancer agents grew out of an attempt to determine how the compound, tautomycetin, exerts its immune suppression activities, said Zhong-Yin Zhang, Ph.D., Robert A. Harris Professor and chairman of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular⁵ Biology. #

The finding is also encouraging because SHP2 is a member of a large family of enzymes⁶ called protein tyrosine phosphotases (PTPs), which are important in the signaling processes that control all essential cellular⁷ functions. Dysregulation（调节异常） of PTP activity has been linked to several human diseases, including cancer, diabetes⁸, and immune dysfunctions. But their makeup⁹ has made it difficult to find potential drugs to act on them, characteristics that have labeled the PTPs as "undruggable," Dr. Zhang said.

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"So we have identified a lead – a natural product produced by the bacteria Streptomyces – that should serve as a foundation for the development of therapeutic¹⁰ agents for a large family of protein tyrosine phosphotase targets. Until now these targets, including SHP2 for leukemia and other cancers, have been deemed undruggable," he said.