New Enzyme Target May Combat Resistant Cancer Growth
Researchers identified a protein target that could help overcome drug resistance in KRAS-driven cancer treatments.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Cancer
Live Poll
Do recent discoveries in cancer protein synthesis make you more optimistic about future medical treatments?
Researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have identified the enzyme METTL13 as a potential therapeutic target for overcoming KRAS-related drug resistance. The findings suggest that targeting this enzyme could inhibit tumor growth in specific cancers, though the research is currently limited to preclinical models.
Why it matters
KRAS mutations drive many aggressive cancers, and resistance to current inhibitors remains a major clinical challenge. By identifying METTL13, scientists have uncovered a potential strategy to disrupt the protein production processes that help these resistant tumors survive.
This preclinical study demonstrated that knocking out METTL13 inhibited the growth of KRAS-inhibitor-resistant tumors in animal models without toxic effects in healthy tissues. The findings, published in Nature Cell Biology, indicate that METTL13 modifies the eEF1A protein at lysine 55.
The players
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
A pediatric treatment and research facility focused on catastrophic diseases in children, including advanced cancer genomics.
The details
The research team discovered that the METTL13 enzyme methylates the eEF1A protein, which helps cancer cells rapidly translate the genetic instructions required for growth. This METTL13-eEF1A axis specifically promotes the translation of codons found in KRAS-driven oncogenes. By disrupting this mechanism, the researchers were able to stifle the production of proteins that these tumors rely on to persist, even when standard KRAS inhibitors are used.
Timeline
2023: St. Jude team published ribosome structure findings in Nature.
October 29, 2026: The current results were published in Nature Cell Biology.
Health Landscape
Developing therapies for KRAS-mutated cancers remains a central challenge in oncology, as tumors often develop resistance to frontline inhibitors. This research shifts the focus toward the translational machinery that cancer cells use to survive, potentially offering a way to bypass traditional resistance pathways.
While these findings represent a promising new direction for cancer treatment, they are limited to preclinical models and are not yet available for human clinical use. Patients currently managing KRAS-driven cancers should continue to discuss standard-of-care treatment options and clinical trial opportunities with their oncology team.
The takeaway
Targeting cellular mechanisms like METTL13 may eventually provide a new way to treat resistant cancers. If you are participating in cancer care, consider asking your oncologist about whether clinical trials involving new KRAS-related targets are relevant to your specific diagnosis.
Further reading
Learn more about evolving research on cancer pathways in our Cancer section.
More information
View the Nature Cell Biology study publication for complete technical details.
Source note: This article includes information reported by News-Medical.
Live Poll
Do recent discoveries in cancer protein synthesis make you more optimistic about future medical treatments?
