sleepygrlgreen
06/09/05, 01:45 PM
Over the past few years, scientists have discovered that a new class of genetic regulators called "microRNAs" influences normal human growth and development. Now, CSHL scientist Dr. Gregory Hannon and his colleagues* have found that microRNAs also play an important role in human cancer as published in the June 9 issue of "Nature."
By establishing that a particular set of microRNAs is hyperactive in human cancer--and can drive the development of highly malignant tumors in an animal model of cancer--the researchers have uncovered information that is likely to be important for devising improved methods for diagnosing and treating the disease.
"This is by no means a final answer about the role of microRNAs in cancer,” says Hannon. “But it's the first definitive demonstration that microRNAs can act as cancer-causing oncogenes.”
*Scott Lowe, David Mu, Scott Powers, Michael Hermann, Lin He
http://www.cshl.edu/public/releases/small_RNA.html
By establishing that a particular set of microRNAs is hyperactive in human cancer--and can drive the development of highly malignant tumors in an animal model of cancer--the researchers have uncovered information that is likely to be important for devising improved methods for diagnosing and treating the disease.
"This is by no means a final answer about the role of microRNAs in cancer,” says Hannon. “But it's the first definitive demonstration that microRNAs can act as cancer-causing oncogenes.”
*Scott Lowe, David Mu, Scott Powers, Michael Hermann, Lin He
http://www.cshl.edu/public/releases/small_RNA.html