Before radiotherapy, turn off the POLQ gene in tumor cells

The resistance of tumors to radiation therapy was overcome by gene blockadeCopper news
British scientists have discovered a gene that increases the resistance of cancer cells to radiation therapy, reports the BBC (Blocking gene boosts cancer killing radiotherapy).

In the experiment, blocking this gene significantly increased the sensitivity of tumor cells to radiation.

In search of the causes of various degrees of resistance of malignant neoplasms to radiation, researchers from the University of Oxford studied the effects of 200 genes involved in the process of repairing damaged DNA.

The search led to a gene called POLQ, which encodes the enzyme DNA polymerase theta. Experimental blocking of this gene in cell cultures of various types of tumors, including neoplasms of the throat and pancreas, significantly reduced the resistance of cancer cells to radiation.

After conducting a similar experiment with cells of unchanged tissues, the researchers found that the POLQ gene does not affect their sensitivity to radiation in any way. The data obtained confirm the results of previous studies that did not detect the activity of this gene in healthy cells. 

According to Geoff Higgins, the head of the work, such features of the functioning of POLQ make it an attractive target for potential drugs that increase the effectiveness of radiation therapy.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru05.04.2010