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Immunotherapy-chemotherapy treatment coupled with in-depth genomic analyses leads to improved survival for patients with mesothelioma

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center found a new treatment option for inoperable pleural mesothelioma using immunotherapy agent durvalumab combined with platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients with epithelioid tumors experienced higher survival rates, including some who remained tumor-free after completing the trial.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalNature Medicine·DateNov 8, 2021

Under the scanner: GIST scientists unravel the inner workings of DNA repair enzymes

GIST scientists utilized latest advances in single molecule detection to observe the enzymatic activity of gene repair. The study revealed that ExoIII has an affinity for damaged DNA sites, creating a gap that Pol I fills. Understanding this mechanism may lead to technologies for targeted gene repair and drug development.

SourceGIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology)·JournalScience Advances·TypeObservational study·DateSep 13, 2021

Fels and Fox Chase researchers highlight roles of TET2 and DNMT3A mutations in personalized medicine-guided synthetic lethality against leukemia

Fels and Fox Chase researchers found specific TET2 and DNMT3A mutations in leukemia patients that affect DNA repair pathways. These mutations make leukemia cells sensitive to PARP inhibitors, a type of targeted therapy, while others are resistant. The study aims to develop personalized therapies for patients with these mutations.

SourceTemple University Health System·JournalCancer Research·DateAug 13, 2021

Astronauts demonstrate CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in space

Researchers have developed a novel method for studying DNA repair in yeast cells that can be conducted entirely in space, using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology. The technique successfully demonstrated the viability of the new method on the ISS, paving the way for extensive research into DNA repair in space.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateJun 30, 2021

How oxygen radicals protect against cancer

Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt discovered that Nox4, an enzyme producing H2O2, prevents cancer by keeping phosphatases out of the cell nucleus, thus allowing DNA damage to be recognized and repaired. In its absence, mutated cells multiply uncontrollably, leading to tumour formation.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 23, 2021

A new mechanism for accessing damaged DNA

Researchers from the Thomä group at FMI have identified a new mechanism by which UV-DDB detects and binds to damaged DNA tightly packed in nucleosomes. This mechanism, known as 'slide-assisted site-exposure', allows repair proteins to bind to lesions without requiring additional proteins or chemical energy.

SourceFriedrich Miescher Institute·JournalNature·DateMay 30, 2019

Unjamming the genome after DNA damage

A protein complex, Ccr4-Not, has been shown to recruit factors that mark RNAPII with ubiquitin, triggering its degradation and clearing the jam. This process is essential for normal cell function and preventing diseases associated with DNA damage.

SourcePenn State·JournalGenes & Development·DateApr 5, 2019

Researchers discover cell mechanism that delays and repairs DNA damage that can lead to cancer

A new study reveals a specific mechanism in human cells that delay propagation of DNA damage, giving cells a chance to stop piling up mutations. The discovery relies on precise timing and control inside the cells and identifies key molecular proteins involved in repairing DNA lesions.

Cracking colibactin's code

Researchers studied how colibactin damages DNA and created a novel technique to identify DNA adducts. They isolated and characterized the products of the reaction with DNA, revealing a cyclopropane ring structure that forms the colibactin warhead.

SourceHarvard University·JournalScience·DateFeb 14, 2019

Sleep deprivation may affect our genes

A new study found that sleep deprivation can cause DNA damage in healthy individuals, increasing the risk for cancer, cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurodegenerative diseases. Even a single night of sleep deprivation can trigger events contributing to chronic disease development.

SourceWiley·JournalAnaesthesia·DateJan 24, 2019