Newly identified function for protein could hold key to chemo resistance
GILLIAN RUTHERFORD - 14 October 2025
Discovery provides a new target for anti-cancer treatment by interfering with cancer cells’ repair machinery and reversing drug resistance.
A ÒÁÈËÖ±²¥ research team has uncovered a new role for a genetic mutation previously known to be linked to developmental disorders — and it could hold the key to more effective treatments and improved outcomes for cancer patients.
In , the team outlines a previously unknown function for a protein calledmacrophage erythroblast attacher, or MAEA. It controls cell repair and replication, and when it’s removed or inhibited, the cells become more vulnerable to chemotherapy drugs, the researchers report.
“Because of the new function of MAEA in DNA repair, our preliminary experiments suggest that we can reverse drug resistance,” says principal investigator , associate professor in the Department of Oncology. “We think that our new understanding of this function could improve treatment options for both developmental disorders and cancer.”