RNA interferes with cancer-cell growth. (Cancer).To curb the growth of cancer cells, scientists are silencing genes by introducing small strands of RNA RNA: see nucleic acid. RNA in full ribonucleic acid One of the two main types of nucleic acid (the other being DNA), which functions in cellular protein synthesis in all living cells and replaces DNA as the carrier of genetic . This approach, known as RNA interference (RNAi), has become a popular way for investigators to study the function of genes (SN: 1/15/00, p. 36). By adding to cells an RNA strand corresponding to the DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. of a gene, biologists effectively shut down that gene. Recently, researchers showed that RNAi can turn off viral genes within infected cells and thus thwart viruses, including the AIDS virus (SN: 8/10/02, p. 93). Two research groups have now tested RNAi against cancer. In test-tube experiments reported in the Sept. 5 Oncogene oncogene Gene that can cause cancer. It is a sequence of DNA that has been altered or mutated from its original form, the proto-oncogene (see mutation). Proto-oncogenes promote the specialization and division of normal cells. , Ming Jiang and Jo Milner of the University of York This article is about the British university. For the Canadian university, see York University. The University of York is a campus university in York, England. in England use the approach to thwart tumor-cell growth generated by proteins from a human papilloma virus human papilloma virus n. Abbr. HPV A DNA virus of the genus Papillomavirus, certain types of which cause cutaneous and genital warts in humans, including condyloma acuminatum. . When RNAi silenced two viral genes, the tumor cells stopped proliferating. In the September Cancer Cell, a research team headed by Reuven Agami of the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam reports using RNAi to deactivate the cancer-causing mutant version of a gene known as Ras.--J.T. |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion