This finding may represent a new way to fight invasive cancer. Chemokines Chemokines are found in most of the tissues of the body such as the liver, lungs and lymph nodes. These molecules act as traffic regulators, telling cells where to go. If chemokines are increased in a particular tissue, the cell with the receptor, or partner, for that particular molecule is attracted to move into that tissue. They are an important part of the immune system .
Most tumors have receptors for chemokines.
As the lymph and blood bathes each organ, the high levels of chemokines attract the malignant cells with more chemokine receptors. The Nature article includes a drawing that demonstrates the relationships involved. And Here Come The Mice After identifying the chemokines, the researchers conducted studies on mice to try to block the receptor and stop the metastasis. They injected human breast tumor cells into the mice and treated the animals with an antibody that blocked the receptor from binding with the chemokine, preventing the metastasis. This is the research reported in the current issue of Nature .