Role of fusion gene in prostate cancer: Mutation found in half of all prostate cancers may lead to disease development
Tuesday, May 22, 2012 - 15:30
in Health & Medicine
Up to half of all prostate cancer cells have a chromosomal rearrangement that results in a new "fusion" gene and formation of its unique protein — but no one has known how that alteration promotes cancer growth. Now, researchers have found that in these cancer cells, the 3-D architecture of DNA, wrapped up in a little ball known as a chromatin, is warped in such a way that a switch has been thrown on thousands of genes, turning them on or off to promote abnormal, unchecked growth. Researchers also found that new chromosomal translocations form, further destabilizing the genome.