In its cancer defense role, IGFBP7 tells its cell neighbors to ignore signals from the mutated BRAF gene to proliferate and instructs them instead to either hibernate or self-destruct.
Green thinks some moles are artifacts of this process.
When Green's team created a genetically modified version of this protein and injected it into the bloodstream of mice that had human melanoma tumors, the tumors stopped growing.
They also found that samples of melanoma taken from people lacked the IGFBP7 protein.
"It is a natural protein and a natural mechanism so we're encouraged by our mouse experiments that we were able to suppress the cancer without any apparent adverse reactions," Green said.
"Obviously, we have to do a lot more tests," he added. Other human proteins have been shown to interfere with cancer but researchers have encountered problems in manufacturing and finding safe ways to give them to patients.
