Researchers from the University of Toronto in Canada have discovered a gene that causes malignant tumors to grow rapidly. It turns out that improper function of SOX2 can cause bladder, uterine, breast and lung cancer. The results of scientists’ research shared In the journal Nucleic Acid Research (NAR).
The researchers wanted to understand what activates the SOX2 gene in cancer cells and what causes them to proliferate uncontrollably. It turns out that SOX2 does not stimulate tumor growth due to mutations or DNA damage. Most of the 30 thousand genes that make up a person’s genome are inactive throughout their life. This means that the genes do not trigger the cellular protein coding machinery.
Scientists discovered that the part of the genome containing SOX2 can remain turned on, causing the gene to make cells cancerous. This gene also encodes two proteins: FOXA1 and NFIB. While NFIB suppresses the cancer cell reproduction mechanism, FOXA1, on the contrary, activates it.
The authors of the study noted that developing drugs that would increase the functioning of the NFIB protein would help advance the treatment of breast, uterine, bladder and lung cancer.
It was before to create A way to return malignant cells to their normal state.