Tumor suppressor protein plays key role in maintaining immune balance
Date: January 15, 2015
Source: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Summary: A protein widely known for suppressing tumor formation also helps prevent autoimmune diseases and other problems by putting the brakes on the immune response.
. . .
PTEN is best known as one of the most frequently altered tumor suppressor genes in human cancers, but loss of the protein has also been tied to autoimmune problems. This study showed that is because PTEN is required to maintain the stable population of regulatory T cells that keeps the immune system in check.
