A new mechanism for the spread of the cancer genetic program
A study has found that the middle part of the body left over after cell division may be a means of spreading cancer.Scientists have found that the parts of cells that are left over after they divide contain a special RNA. When absorbed by other cells, it can spread the genetic program of cancer. This discovery will help come up with new ways to treat cancer.
In the final stages of cell division, or mitosis, a temporary intercellular "bridge" called the middle calf connects two daughter cells, recruiting and positioning the machinery that eventually separates them.
Scientists used to believe that what remains of the midbody after cell separation was immediately degraded. However, recent studies have shown that they are released and promote the proliferation of tumor cells and stem cells. Now, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have studied the contents, organization and behavior of medium bodies to better understand what they do in the body.
They found that mid-body RNA produces proteins that are involved in determining a cell's purpose, including its ability to differentiate (pluripotency) and form cancerous tumors (oncogenesis). This means that the middle part of the body spreads cancer in the body.
The researchers were also able to identify a gene called Arc, which plays a key role in RNA loading in the midbody and its remnant. Arc is also linked to molecular processes in the brain related to learning and memory.
The study is published in the journal Developmental Cell.