A new anti-cancer gene
A young Italian team discovered the anti-tumor activity of the mutated gene MTND1 able to block the tumor blood vessels of tumors.
Thanks to a study funded by AIRC (Italian Association for Cancer Research), a team of young Italian University of Bologna was able to find a gene that can block tumor growth.
The mutant gene MTND1 has a double behavior: in fact, used in small amounts is able to assist the development of cancer, on the contrary is able to block the proliferative activity of cancer cells if present at high concentrations.
The study lasted about three years, during which the team created the cancer cells that contained five different levels of mutation in mice and then injecting them: when it is present at high levels, the mutated gene is capable of blocking the neoformation of vital to the tumor blood vessels on the contribution of glucose and oxygen.
The new goal of researchers now is to develop new treatments, such as Anna Maria Porcelli said: “We could stifle the development of tumors simulating the effect of the mutated gene by genetic or pharmacologic”.
The research was published in the journal Cancer Research.