Cooperation between cells in multicellular organisms is preserved by an active regulation of growth through the control of cell division. Molecular signals used by cells for tissue growth are usually present during developmental stages, angiogenesis, wound healing and other processes. In this context, the use of molecular signals triggering cell division is a puzzle, because any molecule inducing and aiding growth can be exploited by a cancer cell, disrupting cellular cooperation. A significant difference is that normal cells in a multicellular organism have evolved in competition between high-level organisms to be altruistic, being able to send signals even if it is to their detriment. Conversely, cancer cells evolve their abuse over the cancer's lifespan by out-competing their neighbours. A successful mutation leading to cancer must evolve to be adaptive, enabling a cancer cell to send a signal that results in higher chances to be selected. Using a mathematical model of such molecular signalling mechanism, this paper argues that a signal mechanism would be effective against abuse by cancer if it affects the cell that generates the signal as well as neighbouring cells that would receive a benefit without any cost, resulting in a selective disadvantage for a cancer signalling cell. We find that such molecular signalling mechanisms normally operate in cells as exemplified by growth factors. In scenarios of global and local competition between cells, we calculate how this process affects the fixation probability of a mutant cell generating such a signal, and find that this process can play a key role in limiting the emergence of cancer.

中文翻译：

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信号架构可以防止癌症的发展。

通过控制细胞分裂来主动调节生长，从而保持多细胞生物中细胞之间的合作。细胞用于组织生长的分子信号通常存在于发育阶段，血管生成，伤口愈合和其他过程中。在这种情况下，使用分子信号触发细胞分裂是一个难题，因为任何诱导和帮助生长的分子都可以被癌细胞利用，从而破坏细胞合作。一个显着的差异是，多细胞生物中的正常细胞在高级生物之间的竞争中进化为利他的，即使对它们有害，也能够发送信号。相反，癌细胞通过与邻居竞争，在癌症的寿命中发展其滥用。一个成功的导致癌症的突变必须发展为具有适应性的，使癌细胞能够发送信号，从而有更高的机会被选中。使用这种分子信号传导机制的数学模型，本文认为，如果信号传导机制影响产生信号的细胞以及将免费获得收益的邻近细胞，那么信号机制将有效地对抗癌症的滥用。对癌症信号传导细胞的选择性不利。我们发现，这种分子信号传导机制通常在细胞中起作用，如生长因子所示。在细胞之间存在全局竞争和局部竞争的情况下，我们计算该过程如何影响产生这种信号的突变细胞的固定概率，