title: PTEN: an intercellular peacekeeper?
abstract: It is generally assumed that cells synthesize their own intracellular enzymes. Therefore, if expression of a specific gene is silenced in a potential cancer cell, it is expected that loss of protein function will follow. A provocative study indicates an unexpected mechanism of intercellular tumor suppression, showing that PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted from chromosome 10), a cytosolic enzyme, can be transferred between cells in exosomes to suppress signaling and proliferation in target cells.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cell Signalling and Immunology, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, James Black Centre, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK. n.r.leslie@dundee.ac.uk
authors.forename: Nick R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Leslie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D055354:Exosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; C494929:PTEN protein, human