Colon
Cancer – DNA gets ‘switched off’ and allows Tumor Growth
April 24th, 2006
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Researchers from
Sydney’s Garvan Institute along with a collaborative effort with Spanish
scientists have led to new understanding how cancer cells take over and
tumors grow. They discovered in the process of colon cancer that large
areas of DNA are turned off allowing for the growth of tumors. The
study was first reported in the Nature Genetics, April 23rd
edition.
The lead
researcher Sue Clark, who is an Associate Professor at the Garvan
Institute said, "These large regions – referred to as suburbs – contain
genes that normally function to prevent the development of tumours."
Cancer takes over
when normal controlling mechanisms within a cell malfunction. Cells are
told when to grow and when to die. The researchers believe that the
regulations of the cell activities are changed by DNA damage. The DNA
will become changed and large section of the chromosomes will be
removed. There is also a possibility that the cancer can also cause
gene silencing to occur. This silencing is called ‘epigenetics’.
DNA methylation is
one of the epigenetics that can cause cancer cells to grow. The process
causes gene silencing. In the past it was believed to silence only on
gene, however the researchers discovered that more genes can be
affected.
"What we've found
is that non-methylated genes that reside in a particular suburb near
methylated genes are also silenced. Their physical proximity to the
methylated genes affects their ability to function. It's a case of being
in the wrong neighbourhood at the wrong time,” said Clark.
The way the
researchers discovered the multiple gene silencing was with a new method
to scan over 30,000 genes with one cancer tissue sample. This made it
possible to see the multiple instances of gene silencing that was
happening with colon cancer.
The researchers
want to measure other types of cancer to see if there is a correlation
with gene silencing. By understanding the method of how cancer cells
take over to grow tumors may lead to new treatments in the near future
that will put a halt to cancer cells and could lead to a cure.
Nicole Wilson
Best SyndicationBooks on Cancer
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