Researchers in Prof. Matthew Scott's laboratory have discovered that small-molecule inhibitors of casein kinase II (CK2) could be used as a targeted therapy for pediatric medulloblastoma or other Shh/hedgehog-related tumors.
The patched gene is a component of the so-called Hedgehog signaling pathway that is known to be involved in the commonest human cancer, basal cell carcinoma, and in brain cancer.
Myers, et al previously discovered that specific loss-of-function mutations in the human cystatin B gene on chromosome 21 cause the human genetic disease Progressive Myoclonus Epilepsy (EPM1).
Hybridoma cells for the production of monoclonal antibodies against C-terminal fragment of fly patched were made by fusion of spleen cells from an immune mouse and sp2/0 myeloma cells.