According to a study by Icahn at Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers led, two existing cancer drugs can open a gene, tell cells remain inactive, related research results published in the January 30, the natural communication "(nature Communications).
Researchers have found that when the NR2F1 gene is turned on, it will be "programmed" to keep the tumor cells in a dormant state. When the gene is turned off, the tumor cells divide and proliferate as part of the abnormal growth, which is likely to make the resting cells grow into tumors (metastasis) throughout the body. The combination of anticancer drugs with nitrogen and retinoic acid can significantly increase the number of active NR2F1 in tumor cells. These patterns exist in a mouse model of several cancers and are confirmed in human prostate cancer cells.
The results show that NR2F1 is a "master regulator" of tumor cell growth, which affects several genes, which determine whether the cell is active or not. According to this study, NR2F1 controls the permanent process of human embryonic stem cells, where it guides cells to stop growing, and becomes the single cell (Shen Jingyuan) in life. This function suggests that NR2F1 may have a lasting effect on tumor cells, so that they remain dormant after being out of the original tumor.
Icahn Medical Institute of medicine, hematology and medical oncology, ear, nose and throat Professor Julio a. Aguirre-Ghiso Dr. said: "our results explained why some tumor dispersed, over the years has maintained sound, while others may cause disease activity. In the process of finding the main switch, we found a way to analyze tumor cells before treatment to determine the risk of cancer recurrence or metastasis."
The common first author, Icahn Medical Institute of Hematology and blood Science Postdoctoral Researcher Maria Soledad Sosa, said: "aza cytidine and retinoic acid. The latter is a form of vitamin A, can prevent the rapid propagation of tumor cell, restore the function of normal cells, and activation of multiple tumor suppressor gene (which in the tumor is usually closed). Now we have strong evidence that the combination of these well-known drugs may have a profound and lasting effect."
The current study is based on the research group's early studies have found that: reduce the number of tumor suppressor gene TGF beta 2 and p38, can awaken the dormant tumor cells, accelerate the growth of metastatic tumor. The expression of TGF beta 2 and p38 activation were restored by N - and retinoic acid in order to induce the tumor cell dormancy.