Cancer cells are known for spreading genetic chaos. As cancer cells divide, DNA segments and even whole chromosomes can be duplicated, mutated, or lost altogether. This is called chromosomal instability, and scientists at Memorial Sloan Kettering have learned that it is associated with cancer's aggressiveness.
Discovery about how cancer cells evade immune defences inspires new treatment approach ANI | Updated: Dec 29, 2020 10:29 IST
Washington [US], December 29 (ANI): A recent discovery about the process of evasion by cancer cells has led researchers towards a new approach to treat the disease.
Cancer cells are known for spreading genetic chaos. As cancer cells divide, DNA segments and even whole chromosomes can be duplicated, mutated, or lost altogether. This is called chromosomal instability, and scientists at Memorial Sloan Kettering have learned that it is associated with cancer s aggressiveness.
The more unstable chromosomes are, the more likely that bits of DNA from these chromosomes will end up where they don t belong: outside of a cell s central nucleus and floating in the cytoplasm.
Knowing How Cancer Cells Avoid Defenses Open Gates for New Therapy by Angela Mohan on December 29, 2020 at 7:18 PM
Cancer Discovery.
Cells interpret these rogue bits of DNA as evidence of viral invaders, which sets off their internal alarm bells and leads to inflammation. Immune cells travel to the site of the tumor and churn out defensive chemicals. A mystery has been why this immune reaction, triggered by the cancer cells, does not spell their downfall. The elephant in the room is that we didn t really understand how cancer cells were able to survive and thrive in this inflammatory environment, says Samuel Bakhoum, a physician-scientist at MSK and a member of the Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program.
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Cancer cells are known for spreading genetic chaos. As cancer cells divide, DNA segments and even whole chromosomes can be duplicated, mutated, or lost altogether. This is called chromosomal instability, and scientists at Memorial Sloan Kettering have learned that it is associated with cancer s aggressiveness. The more unstable chromosomes are, the more likely that bits of DNA from these chromosomes will end up where they don t belong: outside of a cell s central nucleus and floating in the cytoplasm.
Cells interpret these rogue bits of DNA as evidence of viral invaders, which sets off their internal alarm bells and leads to inflammation. Immune cells travel to the site of the tumor and churn out defensive chemicals. A mystery has been why this immune reaction, triggered by the cancer cells, does not spell their downfall.
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Monday, December 28, 2020 Human metastatic melanoma cells in a lymph node. ENPP1, a protein involved in immune evasion, is shown in green.
Summary
Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering have learned how chromosomal instability allows cancer cells to avoid immune defenses and metastasize (spread). The discovery opens up potential new avenues for treatment.
Cancer cells are known for spreading genetic chaos. As cancer cells divide, DNA segments and even whole chromosomes can be duplicated, mutated, or lost altogether. This is called chromosomal instability, and scientists at Memorial Sloan Kettering have learned that it is associated with cancer’s aggressiveness. The more unstable chromosomes are, the more likely that bits of DNA from these chromosomes will end up where they don’t belong: outside of a cell’s central nucleus and floating in the cytoplasm.