Proteins SOS1 and SOS2 identified as essential for intestinal protection

Researchers at the Cancer Research Center (CIC) of Salamanca have identified two proteins, SOS1 and SOS2, that are essential for protecting the intestine against severe infections. The study, published in the journal Cell Death & Disease, utilized mouse models to demonstrate that the simultaneous absence of both proteins severely damages intestinal tissue.

Without these proteins, intestinal bacteria can migrate into the bloodstream, triggering generalized infections that are lethal in the animal models studied. The SOS1 and SOS2 proteins function by activating the RAS signaling pathway, which provides critical signals for cells to grow, divide, differentiate, and survive.

This discovery provides insight into how intestinal cells renew and maintain the epithelial barrier that separates digestive microorganisms from the rest of the body. Furthermore, the findings raise new questions regarding the potential intestinal toxicity of certain medical treatments that target the RAS signaling pathway, a molecular route frequently altered in various tumors.