Gene Mutations Can Both Trigger, Treat Cancer

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'Mutant genes' could treat cancer

Chromosomes house genes

The same genetic mechanism that drives tumour growth could also

treat cancer, US scientists believe.

Inheriting the wrong number of gene-rich chromosomes both caused and

prevented cancers developing in mice, the California University team

found.

In the future, drugs that block the accurate delivery of the right

number of chromosomes to new cells could destroy certain cancers,

they hope.

They explain their idea of " aneuploidy therapy " in Cancer Cell

journal.

Aneuploidy - too few or too many chromosomes - is known to be linked

with cancer.

But it is not clear whether aneuploidy is merely a consequence of

mutations in tumour causing genes, or if it directly causes cancer

by promoting mutations in these genes.

Human cells ideally have 23 pairs of chromosomes, one set inherited

from the mother and the other set passed on from the father.

These chromosomes carry genes, which are made up of DNA - the code

of life.

The University of California, San Diego team looked at mice with

highly variable numbers of chromosomes to see if this aneuploidy

made the animals more cancer-prone.

Indeed, the mice with the wrong number of chromosomes were more

likely to develop tumours as they aged than other mice.

When the scientists added other genetic errors to the cancer-prone

mice, however, the cancer development slowed.

The team also looked at mice that were missing a tumour suppressor

gene, which is a gene that acts to prevent cell growth.

Mice that lacked this gene were more susceptible to cancer, as

expected.

When the scientists created mice that lacked the tumour suppressor

gene but also had a high rate of aneuploidy, tumour growth was again

slowed.

Lead researcher Beth Weaver said: " This study opens up a whole

series of potential therapeutic targets for cancer.

" By increasing the level of genetic damage, we can kill those tumour

cells. "