Jerusalem [Israel], January 22: Israeli researchers have found that cancer cells can damage their own DNA through the same process that drives their aggressive growth, revealing a key vulnerability that could be exploited for new treatments, according to a statement by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on Wednesday.
The study, published in Science Advances, showed that hyperactive genetic switches called "super-enhancers" force cancer genes to run at maximum speed. Yet they also create so much "stress" on the DNA and can cause breaks.
Using advanced mapping, the researchers found that these DNA breaks occur repeatedly in the same high-activity regions. Although cancer cells repair the breaks, the repeated cycle of breaking and repairing can make these regions more prone to accumulating mutations over time.
"In short, the same mechanisms that help cancer grow quickly may also make its DNA more fragile," the statement added.
The findings point to a promising treatment strategy: targeting these overstressed DNA regions could disrupt cancer's growth cycle, slow its ability to evolve, and make tumors more sensitive to existing therapies, it said.
Source: Xinhua
