Gene is found that could stop cancer in its tracks

Researchers from the University of Iowa have found a gene in amoeba that dwells in soil that could be found in your backyard that potentially has a similar function to a main tumor-fighting gene called PTEN that is found in humans.

PTEN is prone to mutation, but when the gene is healthy, it is able to suppress tumor growth in humans. However, when this gene is mutated, it allows cancerous cells to multiply and form tumors. This gene is believed to be involved in 40% of breast cancer cases, 70% of prostate cancer cases, and nearly half of all leukemia cases. PTEN is most generally the mutated gene involved in all cancers.  This mutation is not preventable, but researchers have been working to find another gene that may be able to substitute for the PTEN in humans.

The amoeba they found is called Dictyostelium discoideum, and it has a gene called ptenA that mutates like PTEN that also causes behavioral defects in the cell. Another close relative to ptenA that was found is, Ipten. This gene acts like ptenA as well.

 

Dictyostemlium discoideum

Researchers believe that if they are able to ramp up the presence of Ipten, it would overcompensate for the mutated ptenA gene. Once it was tested, they found that when the Ipten is over-expressed, it can fully overcompensate for all the defects that the ptenA mutant experiences.

If the same happens in human cells, researchers may be able to find a way to cure cancer. If they are able to find a drug that could activate the promoter of one of PTEN’s close relative genes, the patient could take the drug to over-express the related PTEN gene, and potentially stop cancer in its tracks.

Article: Treating cancer: Biologists find gene that could stop tumors in their tracks