American scientists have identified two distinct epigenetic states that appear during our development, even before birth, and are linked to the risk of cancer.
- Heterozygoty, either a cell or an individual with two different genes on each chromosome of the same pair, from Trim28 is sufficient to generate two distinct epigenetic states at the start of life.
- The latter are associated with a different susceptibility to cancer, which is determined by the force of mice in this study.
- This discovery offers a new perspective to study the disease and new potential options for diagnosis and treatment.
Mutations in genes at risk of cancer increase the susceptibility, but all the bearing people do not develop cancer. Indeed, if DNA mutations are necessary engines of cancer, only a small subset of mutated cells causes the disease. “To date, the mechanisms underlying individual susceptibility to cancer remain obscure”said researchers from the Van Andel Institute (United States). In order to fill these shortcomings, the latter carried out a study during which they focused on epigenetics. This is a process that affects the way and the moment when DNA instructions are executed. Epigenetic problems can derail cell quality control processes, allowing sick cells to survive and spread.
Two epigenetic states linked to the risk of cancer
As part of research, published in the journal Nature Cancerthe team conducted experiences on mice with intrinsic heterogeneity of development (TRIM28+/D9) to determine whether the epigenetic variations occurring at the start of life influence cancer susceptibility later in life. The results have shown that rodents with reduced levels of the Trim28 gene could have one of the two models of epigenetic marks on cancer genes, although they are also identical. These patterns are established during development. The strength of animal models determines which of the two risk states of cancer occurs.
Cancer: “epigenetics, on the other hand, can be targeted”
“Everyone has a certain level of risk, but when cancer occurs, we tend to think that it is a bad luck. However, bad luck does not fully explain why some people are developing cancer and Others not. development”, said Ilaria Panzeriwho led the work.
This discovery questions what we thought about cancer, traditionally considered a disease caused by genetic mutations that accumulate with age. In addition, it offers a perspective to study new potential options for diagnosis and treatment. In the future, the authors plan to analyze the effects of these two epigenetic states on the different types of cancer.
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