HOX genes: Role in colon cancer development

Colon cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in not only the United States, but all over the globe. Conventional research over the last 50 years has shown that tumors undergo a series of genetic mutations that lead to the unchecked growth of tumors and their progression to metastatic cancer. Traditional therapies designed to kill the bulk of cancer tumor cells continue to fall short of a cure for advanced, drug-resistant colon cancers.
Over-expression of HOXA4 and HOXA9 genes in colon cancer stem cells promotes cell replication and contributes to the overpopulation of stem cells that drives colon cancer development. The findings suggest treatment with vitamin A derivatives, called retinoid drugs, could provide a therapeutic strategy for decreasing the expression of these HOX genes and for targeting highly resistant cancer stem cells. These long-lived, uncommon cells start out as tissue stem cells that become cancer stem cells when certain mutations or mistakes occur in the genes that regulate cell renewal and overpopulation. These genes are known to be master regulators of stem cells, and because HOX gene expression has been found to malfunction in various types of cancer.
Gene expression works as an on/off switch that regulates how cellular components are made. Adjusting the level of gene expression can directly impact cancer cell development and the drive to self-replicate. What discovered was that lowering HOXA4 or HOXA9 expression in colon cancer stem cells decreases their self-renewal ability, reducing cell population, and inhibiting cell proliferation. Therapeutically focusing on HOX gene expression could diminish the self-renewal capacity of malignant stem cells amid cancer advancement. To test this hypothesis, they chose All-Trans Retinoic Acid (ATRA), one of the most commonly explored and clinically tested retinoic acid derivatives. ATRA regulates HOX gene expression, diminishes gene expression of a known stem cell biomarker (ALDH1) and decrease stem cell renewal.
17th International Conference on Gastroenterology and Hepatology is scheduled during September 03-04, 2018 in Dubai, UAE.
For more details:
Anna Harper
Program Manager
World Gastroenterology 2018

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A healthy gut : better recovery from spinal cord injury

Image
Our gut microbiota communicates with the central nervous system (CNS) by collaboration with immune cells and discharging metabolites that pass through the blood-brain barrier. Most (~70-80 percent) immune cells within the body are found inside gut-associated lymphoid tissues . The influence of our gut microbes is far-reaching. From boosting the adequacy of chemotherapy to influencing obesity risk in youth, the gut microbiome is unimaginably important for our body's overall health. In addition to the more obvious impacts of traumatic spinal line injuries, the researchers say they have auxiliary impacts, counting loss of bowel control, which can cause disturbance to the gut microbiome. Named "dysbiosis," this disruption happens when "good" bacteria are drained or invade by "bad" bacteria within the gut. Previously, autoimmune illnesses - such as multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes - have been connected to dysbiosis, and the researchers say i...
Read more

Ingestible sensor to non-invasively monitor indicators of disease

Image
Researchers have made an ingestible sensor to non-invasively monitor indicators of disease within the stomach and digestion tracts . The capsule carries genetically designed bacteria that sense particular substances within the intestine. The other components built into the one-and-a-half-inch capsule incorporate phototransistors, a custom integrated circuit, a small battery, and a radio transmitter. This is the primary demonstration of the technology, and it employments bacteria that were genetically built to sense blood within the intestine. In case there's blood show, the bacteria will glow. The phototransistor recognizes the glow, activating the radio transmitter to send a signal to a computer or smartphone, detailing that blood has been detected. The test was done in pigs, which were first nourished a weaken solution containing traces of blood. The sensor effectively detected and detailed, by radio signal, that there was blood within the stomach of the pig. The test...
Read more

Nanoparticle-based platform for detecting Esophageal cancer cells

Image
Esophageal cancer , the seventh leading cause of cancer death worldwide, is responsible for nearly 15,850 deaths (12,850 men and 3,000 women) from this disease occur each year. Esophageal cancer is the most common cause of cancer death among men. It has few symptoms and is often diagnosed at a later stage. The five-year survival rate is less than 20 percent. Researchers have created a modern nanoparticle-based stage for synchronous imaging and treatment of esophageal cancer. They have fabricated polypeptide nanoparticles, which have close infrared fluorescence for superior tissue imaging. They too altered the nanoparticles with tumor focusing on properties and at that point loaded the nanoparticles with a chemotherapy drug. It is harder to distinguish the esophageal cancer tumor. One common detection strategy is the use of an endoscopic probe, which sparkles a white light through your throat. But the problem is the tumor is implanted within the normal tissue and difficult to ...
Read more