The Laboratory of Cell Growth Regulation (Kyiv, Ukraine)

The Laboratory of Cell Growth Regulation (Kyiv, Ukraine)

The Laboratory of Cell Growth Regulation was established in 1997 as a joint venture between the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics (Kyiv, Ukraine) and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, (UCL Branch, London, UK).

The research program of Cell Signaling group is focused on exploring the molecular mechanisms governing growth and proliferation in normal and cancer cells, with special emphasis on signaling via PI3K and S6K pathways. In this context, a number of interesting new findings has been made, including molecular cloning of a long-sought enzyme in CoA biosynthesis, which we termed CoA synthase. It was discovered as a binding partner for S6K in a yeast two-hybrid screen. This finding links the PI3K/S6K pathway to CoA biosynthesis and energy metabolism. Extensive screening for PTEN-binding partners has also revealed a number of potential regulators of this critical suppressor of PI3K signaling pathway.

The group of Cancer Immunology has been actively involved in the search for novel tumor-associated antigens using Serex methodology. This project is part of the world-wide collaboration coordinated by the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. Serex screening of melanoma, colon and thryroid cancer libraries allowed us to isolate more than 100 positive clones. Scientists believe that further analysis of the isolated clones would let them to select a suitable target(s) for cancer immunotherapies.

In collaboration with the Ludwig Institute, the group pursues the identification and functional characterization of A33-binding partners. A33 antigen is a focus of clinical trials conducted by the Ludwig Institute in patients with colon cancer. So far, very little is known about the function and regulation of this antigen. Scientists have recently identified two A33-binding partners by the yeast two-hybrid approach and affinity co-purification followed by mass spectrometry. Functional analysis of identified interactions is currently in progress.