Allow all types of cancer cells to slow down their growth
Cancer is an extremely complex disease, but its definition is fairly simple: abnormal, uncontrolled growth of cells.
Researchers from the university of Rochester's RNA biology research center have discovered a new way to slow the rapid growth of all types of cancer cells.
The findings were published in the journal Science.
Cancer: the cell cycle goes wrong
In cancer, the cell cycle is abnormal;
Cell division does not stop and invade surrounding tissues.
Researchers have discovered a protein called Tudor - SN, which is very important in the "prepare" phase of the cell cycle.
When scientists use the gene editing technique crispr-cas9 to knock out the protein, cells take longer to prepare for the split.
The loss of Tudor - SN slows the cell cycle.
Elbarbary adds that existing compounds that block Tudor - SN can be a good candidate for treatment.
The discovered protein can brake the cell growth
Communications author Lynne e. Maquat is a world-renowned expert on RNA biology.
Maquat's team found that Tudor - SN affects cell cycle by regulating microRNAs.
When Tudor - SN was knocked out of human cells, scores of micrornas rose.
These micrornas play a brake on genes that promote cell growth.
As these genes are "switched off", the cells change more slowly from the preparation stage to the cell division phase (g1-s phase).
Dr Elbarbary has filed patent applications for the treatment and prevention of cancer for Tudor - SN.
Their next study includes understanding how Tudor - SN works with other molecules and proteins so that scientists can identify the best drugs to target it.
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