Discoveries
Cancer
Cancer
We are rapidly demystifying cancers, exposing the molecular mechanisms underlying tumors and leading the search for the next generation of targeted cancer therapies. We see a future where every cancer and every patient has a cure.

Cancer

IN THIS ISSUE

Nature
12/2022

Genetic changes that turn “on” cancer genes

In addition to communicating with other cells, cells also have an internal monologue—one that occurs as they regulate gene activity. Assistant Professor Jesse Dixon, Postdoctoral Fellow Zhichao Xu, and colleagues have zeroed in on the specific mechanisms that activate oncogenes—altered genes that can cause normal cells to become cancerous. Cancer can be caused by genetic mutations, yet the impact of specific types, such as structural variants that break and rejoin DNA, can vary widely. The researchers found that genetic mutation activity depends on the distance between a particular gene and the sequences that regulate the gene, as well as on the activity level of the regulatory genetic sequences involved. The work advances the ability to predict and interpret which genetic mutations found in cancer genomes are causing the disease.

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Cell Metabolism
01/2023

Microprotein increases appetite in mice

Salk scientists study how biological processes, like metabolism, can be used to improve cancer treatment outcomes. Tiny proteins, called microproteins, have long been overlooked in obesity and metabolic disease research. Now, Professor Alan Saghatelian and colleagues at UC Irvine have discovered that both brown and white fat are filled with thousands of previously unknown microproteins. They also showed that administering one of these microproteins, called Gm8773, can increase appetite in mice. Their findings may lead to the development of a therapeutic to help people gain weight in certain disease situations, such as during chemotherapy for cancer.

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Nature
02/2023

Three hallmarks of aging work together to prevent cancer

Communication is key for warding off cancerous cells. As we age, the end caps of our chromosomes, called telomeres, gradually shorten. Professors Jan Karlseder and Gerald Shadel and colleagues have discovered that when telomeres become very short, they communicate with mitochondria, the cell’s powerhouses. This communication triggers a complex set of signaling pathways and initiates an inflammatory response that destroys cells that could otherwise become cancerous. These findings could lead to new ways of preventing and treating cancer, as well as designing better interventions to offset the harmful consequences of aging.

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