Editor: Aigerim Akhmetova
Translator: Tursunova Balkadisha
Author: Bolysbek Dana
Research related to the search for cancer treatment has focused on genes that directly cause cancer, called driver genes. However, genes that are not drivers may involve other genes to help them in the proliferation of cancer cells. These little-known additional genes were called "cancer factors" by a research team led by associate Professor Takaomi Sanda of CSI Singapore.
In leukemia and other cancers, there is a gene that does not directly cause cancer, but is abnormally active in cancer cells. It produces an enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase. Aldehyde dehydrogenase activates other enzymes that charge cancer cells with energy for growth and reproduction. But, crucially, it also helps reduce the wear and tear of these charged cancer cells by removing toxic byproducts of energy production. Otherwise, the cancer cells would eventually kill themselves.
NUS researchers are currently investigating what stage of cancer aldehyde dehydrogenase is involved in, as this will determine whether it can be used to prevent cancer or to destroy already formed cancer cells.
An article about this work was first published in the journal Haematologica earlier this year and was selected as one of the "late-breaking abstracts" at the prestigious annual meeting of the American Association for cancer research (AACR).
In addition, the NUS team presented the results at the Frontiers in Cancer Science conference on November 4, 2020. Frontiers in Cancer Science is an annual event that brings together outstanding cancer researchers with additional knowledge and experience from around the world to share ideas and information.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-11-undercover-gene-cancer-cells-proliferate.html
