University of Trieste researchers identify mechanical protection against heart cancer

Researchers at the University of Trieste have identified that the heart’s continuous mechanical pumping motion may act as a shield against cancer. The study, led by molecular biology professor Serena Zacchigna and published in the journal Science, addresses why primary heart cancer is exceptionally rare, affecting fewer than two out of every 100,000 people annually.

By testing cancer cells in mouse hearts and engineered in vitro cardiac models, scientists found that the mechanical load of the heart's contraction and expansion prevents tumor cell multiplication. When the mechanical load was reduced, cancer cells began to multiply, whereas they died off at a normal pumping pace. The motion appears to trigger the production of a protein called Nesprin-2, which signals the nucleus of cancer cells to stop reproducing due to the unsuitable environment.

While it is known that heart muscle cells (cardiomyocytes) rarely divide after birth, which reduces DNA mutation risks, this new research suggests that the physical force of the heart's 100,000 daily contractions provides an additional layer of protection. The findings may eventually lead to new cancer therapies, such as using external pressure to inhibit tumor growth.