Apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide — better known as APOBECs — are a group of DNA mutating enzymes that play a vital role in our immune system. They normally protect us from invading viruses by editing the genetic material of infected cells. However, when they become dysregulated in cancer, APOBECs can cause significant harm by destroying our genomes.
Reuben Harris, PhD, is a leading researcher in this field and heads a lab at the UT Health San Antonio Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology. His lab’s focus is on understanding APOBECs and their role in cancer. In many cases, the enzymes that were once our protectors against viruses become villains in cancer, causing catastrophic damage to our bodies.
To combat this issue, Harris suggests that surgical resection and therapy are often the frontline standards of care for tumors that are positive for APOBEC. By turning off these enzymes after removal of an APOBEC-positive tumor, the risk of cancer recurrence or resistance to medication can be reduced significantly. This could help reduce adverse events and make treatments more effective for patients with cancer.
Harris’ work has the potential to advance medical practice globally through collaborations between TPR and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio through Science & Medicine initiative.
