St. Jude discovery offers new avenues to understanding an aggressive form o...( Researchers at St. Jude Childrens Re...),Health
Researchers at St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital have discovered evidence that a series of genetic mutations work together to initiate most cases of an aggressive and often-fatal form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
These defects, known as "cooperating oncogenic lesions," include the deletion of a gene, IKZF1, whose protein, Ikaros, normally helps guide the development of a blood stem cell into a lymphocyte. The researchers also found that loss of the same gene accompanied the transformation of chronic myelogenous leukemias (CMLs) to a life-threatening acute stage.
"These findings provide new avenues to pursue to gain a better understanding of these disease processes and, ultimately, to develop better therapies," said James R. Downing, M.D., St. Jude scientific director and chair of the Department of Pathology.
The new study, which he and his colleagues reported in the advance online publication of the journal "Nature," adds further support to a key concept in cancer genetics: Malignancies frequently require mutations in multiple genes in order to develop.
Cells contain oncogenes, which exist harmlessly until something triggers them to turn the cells malignant.
"It really takes a series of genetic lesions to lead to cancer," Downing said. "You may get activation of an oncogene, but you may also need activation of a tumor suppressor gene and an alteration in a cell-death pathway."
St. Jude researchers sought to identify genetic differences between CML and a form of acute leukemia known as BCR-ABL1{positive ALL.
Both diseases are characterized by the Philadelphia chromosome, which results from the translocation (joining) of parts of two different chromosomes. The result of this translocation is the expression of BCR-ABL1, an oncogene.
"It appears from our study, and other work published previously, that all you need to get CML is that chromosomal translocation and BCR-ABL1 expre
'/>"/>
| Contact: Carrie Strehlau media@stjude.org 901-495-2295 St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Source:Eurekalert |
Related medicine news :
1. Jefferson scientists discovery may help explain smoking-pancreatic cancer link
2. Pollin Pediatric Research Prize awarded for discovery of lifesaving treatment of RDS
3. Mitosis gets harder thanks to new gene discovery
4. ARCA Discovery Changes Name to ARCA biopharma to Reflect Focus on Drug Commercialization
5. GeneGo Rolls out MetaMiner Cystic Fibrosis - the First Disease-Specific Software Platform to Advance Drug Discovery
6. Baby Madness is Sweeping the Nation! Forty Sets of Twins and Triplets Hit the Court in Discovery Healths BABY MADNESS: MULTIPLES
7. Novel discovery by Einstein scientists could lead to much-needed kidney failure treatment
8. New protein discovery helps researchers understand autoimmune diseases
9. Specialists in drug discovery and development convene
10. Keystone Programs for Collaborative Discovery Launch at Fox Chase
11. Natural Products Discovery and Production
| Copyright © 2003-2009 Bio-Medicine. All rights reserved. ABOUT | CONTACT US | DISCLAIMER | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS AND CONDITIONS |  |