Copper dependent Cancer

Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK-other MAPKs pathway is becoming Wortmannin intriguing. Now, Donita C. Brady, Christopher M. Counter and et al (from Duke, Oxford and North Carolina) found that, with Copper, MEK1 phosphorylates ERK1/2 better.
And I am very happy to know another metal transporter: CTR1 (Cu transporter 1).
In college textbooks of my time, there was no copper. Na, K, Ca, Fe, Mg, Zn... played the roles.Cu is considered useless or even toxic. Nevertheless, AZD6244 no Cu-deficient diseases are published. (Wiki calls copper deficiency "very rare", and mostly occurs in "ruminant animals".)

Otherwisely, this report may mean: over-dosed copper may cause cancer (tumorigenesis) or cancer drug resistance (along with BRAF V600E mutation in this experiment).

Then, I am curious about the way scientists block copper-MEK binding or inhibit CTRs (we all postulate that there will be a series of Cu transporters.) EDTA/EGTA Cu mimics Computer-aided small molecule design And sometimes labor-intensive work will be most effective---namely, HTS, high throughput sceening (of CTR modulators). After all, a nice opportunity for pharmaceuticals.

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