Around 50 genes discovered which slows down cancer
Source: Science Daily
This article that was posted in science daily has a lot in common with what I'm working on...What I mean is that I deal with analysing all the possible aspects of cancer and its behaviour and this article deals with a part of it. So the following lines will have some points from my work as well. I may have missed explaining a few points here and there. So if you have any doubts, feel free to email me. If it is in my limits, I'll definitely help you out. This post according to me is very important if you want to about cancer mechanism.
It is a well known fact that cancer cells are not "normal cells". The normal molecular mechanisms are disrupted or modified in a cancer cell. In a normal cell, signals are generated which provokes it to undergo proliferation and also to halt the same. But in a cancerous cell, the signals for inhibiting cell proliferation is disrupted. Hence, they keep on multiplying. You can say this as the basic concept behind a cancerous cell.
It is also an obvious fact that it is the gene that controls all the activities of a cell. Hence, researchers wanted to find out the genes that bring about the cell division inhibition so that in the future, the defects could be rectified and normalcy could be restored by gene therapy.
So the research started...
The signals which stimulate cell proliferation are the growth factors like Epidermal GF, Vascular Endothelial GF, etc... Non cancer readers... forgive me... just take these names as it is. Just consider them as some proteins helping in cell proliferation. (Actually they are!!!)
These GFs stimulate a host of other molecules in a cascade like fashion bringing about cell proliferation. Also, some genes are stimulated by certain other factors which bring about inhibiton of the same. To find out the genes, researchers collaborated with a lot of mathematicians, biologists, physicists, computer scientists, etc... to sieve through the enormous data that they had in their hands.
What they found out was that the phenomenon of cell division and its regulation takes place at different times. Initially, genes are activated that bring about cell division, then after a few hours, certain other genes are activated which bring about its inhibition thereby we have a controlled growth.
The researchers found out that about 50 genes played a role in bringing about cell division inhibition. They found out that these genes produce proteins which hinder the cell proliferation.
I'll give you an example from my project analysis : We have a protein called cyclin D which forms a complex with another protein CDK and brings about cell proliferation. Another protein called P27 is also synthesised which binds to this CDK thereby preventing the complex formation. Hence cyclin D alone cannot do the job and thus cell proliferation is prevented.
The main aim of the research is to give tailor made therapies to the patients according to their genetic makeup so that the effect of the treatment will be good and also the side effects and associated problems can be prevented.
This article that was posted in science daily has a lot in common with what I'm working on...What I mean is that I deal with analysing all the possible aspects of cancer and its behaviour and this article deals with a part of it. So the following lines will have some points from my work as well. I may have missed explaining a few points here and there. So if you have any doubts, feel free to email me. If it is in my limits, I'll definitely help you out. This post according to me is very important if you want to about cancer mechanism.
It is a well known fact that cancer cells are not "normal cells". The normal molecular mechanisms are disrupted or modified in a cancer cell. In a normal cell, signals are generated which provokes it to undergo proliferation and also to halt the same. But in a cancerous cell, the signals for inhibiting cell proliferation is disrupted. Hence, they keep on multiplying. You can say this as the basic concept behind a cancerous cell.
It is also an obvious fact that it is the gene that controls all the activities of a cell. Hence, researchers wanted to find out the genes that bring about the cell division inhibition so that in the future, the defects could be rectified and normalcy could be restored by gene therapy.
So the research started...
The signals which stimulate cell proliferation are the growth factors like Epidermal GF, Vascular Endothelial GF, etc... Non cancer readers... forgive me... just take these names as it is. Just consider them as some proteins helping in cell proliferation. (Actually they are!!!)
These GFs stimulate a host of other molecules in a cascade like fashion bringing about cell proliferation. Also, some genes are stimulated by certain other factors which bring about inhibiton of the same. To find out the genes, researchers collaborated with a lot of mathematicians, biologists, physicists, computer scientists, etc... to sieve through the enormous data that they had in their hands.
What they found out was that the phenomenon of cell division and its regulation takes place at different times. Initially, genes are activated that bring about cell division, then after a few hours, certain other genes are activated which bring about its inhibition thereby we have a controlled growth.
The researchers found out that about 50 genes played a role in bringing about cell division inhibition. They found out that these genes produce proteins which hinder the cell proliferation.
I'll give you an example from my project analysis : We have a protein called cyclin D which forms a complex with another protein CDK and brings about cell proliferation. Another protein called P27 is also synthesised which binds to this CDK thereby preventing the complex formation. Hence cyclin D alone cannot do the job and thus cell proliferation is prevented.
The main aim of the research is to give tailor made therapies to the patients according to their genetic makeup so that the effect of the treatment will be good and also the side effects and associated problems can be prevented.
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