A research group led by Manuela Baccarini, scientist of the Centre for Molecular Biology of the University of Vienna, has found the ground mechanism of skin cancer such as the melanoma, providing new possibilities for skin cancer treatment, said a study released on Monday.

According to the study, the scientists have cracked the "proto-oncogene," a transmission channel for the "Ras" signal. Their studies suggest that skin cancer is caused by the "Raf-1" protein that prevents cells differentiating into skin cells.

"Ras" is a kind of protein, which is like a regulator under normal circumstances, regulating many signal transmission process in the cells. But when this protein is interfered, it will help to canceration, leading to skin cancers like melanoma. Differentiation or external influence is the cause for the interference in "Ras."

The unrestricted increase of skin cells, or proliferation, is the premise of skin cancer. In addition, cells are not able to move from deep under the skin to the surface and turn into a special skin cell.

So far, it is believed that proliferation, or proliferation of progenitor cells, is the decisive factor for skin cancer. However, the research group led by Baccarini proved for the first time through mice experiments that in the generation of skin cancer, the signal transmission function of "Ras" proto-oncogene is coupled with the role of the protein "Raf-1,", in which protein "Raf-1" plays a key role in cell differentiation, instead of in cell proliferation as generally believed.

Experiments confirmed that on the mice that lacks the protein "Raf-1" in the skin, even if the "Ras" signal transmission channel is completely smooth, it will not have skin tumor. Therefore, interference in cell differentiation may cause canceration.

Baccarini said that "we have discovered that the protein 'Raf-1' is an enzyme compound with the protein 'Rok.'. The compound can hinder cell differentiation, and in turn clear the block for skin cancer."

The research team believed that the new discovery will also provide new possibilities for skin cancer treatment. If the method to destroy the "Raf-Rok" compound can be found so as to activate cell differentiation, it is possible to find a new approach to treat skin cancer. Of course, it is still a long way to go to put this technology into practice.

The research result of the Baccarini group was published in the scientific journal Cancer Cell.

(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2009)