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Fly with brain tumor may shed light on cancer causing genes
April 14, 2004A study showing how the expression of genes changes when the brain tissue of fruit flies becomes cancerous is published this week in BMC Genomics. As the function of many of these genes is conserved across evolution, the researchers expect their results will help us to understand why human brain tumors develop.
The causes of brain tumor development are largely unknown. To investigate this question, researchers from University of Basel, Switzerland and University of Freiburg, Germany, used microarray technology to compare the levels of gene expression in the heads of healthy flies and those with brain cancer.
They found significant changes in the expression levels of 321 different genes. These were involved in several different processes including metabolism, cell proliferation, gene transcription and protein translation.
"One fifth of these genes show homology to known mammalian genes involved in cancer formation," write the researchers.
The flies with cancer had mutations in the tumor-suppressor gene brain tumor (brat), which stopped the gene from functioning correctly. Inactivation of the brat gene causes the Drosophila larval brain to overgrow. The majority of larvae do not make it to adulthood - only 15% of them turn into flies. Surviving flies have large brains made up of cancerous tissue, and they normally die young.
If cells from this cancerous tissue are transplanted into a healthy fly, they grow rapidly and spread - forming secondary tumors around the fly's body. The researchers plan to use the information that they have gathered from this experiment to elucidate which of the genes upregulated in these cancer cells are responsible for the cells' metastatic behaviour.
BioMed Central Limited
"One fifth of these genes show homology to known mammalian genes involved in cancer formation," write the researchers.
The flies with cancer had mutations in the tumor-suppressor gene brain tumor (brat), which stopped the gene from functioning correctly. Inactivation of the brat gene causes the Drosophila larval brain to overgrow. The majority of larvae do not make it to adulthood - only 15% of them turn into flies. Surviving flies have large brains made up of cancerous tissue, and they normally die young.
If cells from this cancerous tissue are transplanted into a healthy fly, they grow rapidly and spread - forming secondary tumors around the fly's body. The researchers plan to use the information that they have gathered from this experiment to elucidate which of the genes upregulated in these cancer cells are responsible for the cells' metastatic behaviour.
BioMed Central Limited
Cancer Current Events and Cancer News RSSU.S. and European Experts Applaud Creation of New Transatlantic Task Force on Global Antibiotic Resistance Threat
Experts on both sides of the Atlantic applaud President Barack Obama and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, representing the European Union (EU) Presidency, for establishing a transatlantic task force to address antibiotic resistance, an urgent and growing problem that threatens patient safety and public health worldwide.
1930s drug slows tumor growth
Drugs sometimes have beneficial side effects. A glaucoma treatment causes luscious eyelashes. A blood pressure drug also aids those with a rare genetic disease.
SNM applauds House action to build medical isotopes reactor in the US
SNM applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for its passage of H.R. 3276-the American Medical Isotopes Production Act of 2009.
Carnegie Mellon researchers link health-care debate to risk of dying in US and Europe
The current health care debate in the United States is complicated. Trade-offs between heath care expenditures, lifestyle choices and life expectancy have been suggested but seldom clearly demonstrated.
New finding suggests prostate biopsy is not always necessary
Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have discovered that some elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in men may be caused by a hormone normally occurring in the body, and are not necessarily a predictor of the need for a prostate biopsy.
PET imaging response a prognostic factor after thoracic radiation therapy for lung cancer
A rapid decline in metabolic activity on a PET scan after radiation therapy for non-small cell lung cancer is correlated with good local tumor control, according to a study presented by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital at the 51st ASTRO Annual Meeting.
Scientists visualize how bacteria talk to one another
Using imaging mass spectrometry, researchers at the University of California, San Diego have developed tools that will enable scientists to visualize how different cell populations of cells communicate.
Findings show nanomedicine promising for treating spinal cord injuries
Researchers at Purdue University have discovered a new approach for repairing damaged nerve fibers in spinal cord injuries using nano-spheres that could be injected into the blood shortly after an accident.
Scientists uncover new key to the puzzle of hormone therapy and breast cancer
The use of postmenopausal hormone therapy has decreased over time in the United States, which researchers suggest may play a key role in the declining rate of atypical ductal hyperplasia, a known risk factor for breast cancer.
Breast density associated with increased risk of cancer recurrence
A new study finds that women treated for breast cancer are at higher risk of cancer recurrence if they have dense breasts. Published in the December 15, 2009 issue of Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study's results indicate that breast cancer patients with dense breasts may benefit from additional therapies following surgery, such as radiation.
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