Skip to content
Menu
CareerHospital
NETWORK
  • Home
  • Careers
  • by Location
  • News
  • Post
  • Specialties
Close Menu

New Insight Illuminates How Cells Respond to Stress

Press Releases DukeHealth

Finding could lead to new approaches to fight cancer and slow the effects of aging

DURHAM, N.C. April 4, 2017 – Duke Cancer Institute scientists have described a previously unknown series of steps that cells undergo when stressed, adding crucial information to the understanding of DNA damage that is at the heart of research into aging and cancer.

The finding is reported online in the journal Cancer Discovery.

“We found a whole new pathway that helps cells deal with DNA damage when they are exposed to radiation, chemicals and perhaps oxidative stress,” said senior author Michael Kastan, M.D., Ph.D., executive director of the Duke Cancer Institute. “This insight helps explain how, after DNA damage, cells are programmed to live, die, mutate or go into a state of senescence, in which they stop dividing.”

The findings from Kastan and colleagues arose from studies of the p53 gene, which is involved in the regulation of cell cycles and programmed cell death. When functioning properly, p53 works to stop the formation of tumors, and it is the most commonly mutated gene in human cancers. Kastan’s lab discovered its critical role in modulating cellular responses to DNA damage more than 25 years ago.

Scientists have some understanding of how p53 functions, but the finding from the Duke team adds a new insight that spotlights the role alternative gene splicing plays in affecting proper function. Alternative splicing occurs when a single gene codes for multiple proteins.

The researchers observed this mechanism during exposure of cells to the type of radiation in x-rays, but the findings have broad implications for other forms of cellular stress and DNA damage. The investigators also showed that many other important cellular genes appear to be regulated by this pathway, and additional studies are underway.

“This newly identified pathway induces very specific types of changes in p53 and other gene products,” Kastan said. “This raises the possibility that we could selectively modulate this change, while preserving the beneficial actions of p53, as an approach to reduce some of the side effects of radiation therapy.”

In addition to Kastan, study authors include Jing Chen, John Crutchley, Dadong Zhang, and Kouros Owzar. All authors are from Duke.

The study received grant support from the National Institutes of Health (R01ES005777).

SOURCE: Duke Health

Related Posts

Press Releases

Duke Otolaryngologist Among 21 People Selected as a TED Fellow

Press Releases

Study Analysis Shows Cutting Calories Might Slow Biological Aging

Press Releases

Former FDA Commissioner Robert Califf Will Head Initiatives at Duke, Verily

SPONSOR & POST
Feature your Brand & Jobs. Sponsor the Front Page of this site for less than $50 per month. Sponsors can be featured on the Front Page, Categories, Cities & Footer. Learn How

Featured Jobs

  • MGR- OBSERVATION CENTER 8SOUTH

    • Lansing, MI
    • Sparrow Health System
    • Full Time
  • SURG TECHNOLOGIST-CERT

    • Lansing, MI
    • Sparrow Health System
    • Full Time
  • ADM – ORTHOPEDICS 6W

    • Lansing, MI
    • Sparrow Health System
    • Full Time
  • ADM – MEDICAL ICU 10W

    • Lansing, MI
    • Sparrow Health System
    • Full Time
  • SHS-MGR CLINICAL INTEGRATION

    • Lansing, MI
    • Sparrow Health System
    • Full Time

News & Views

  • Teladoc Health to Acquire InTouch Health
  • Vivante Health Snags DebraAnn Braun as Chief Technology Officer
  • Dr. Jason Hallock Joins SOC Telemed as Chief Medical Officer
  • Change Healthcare Unveils API & Services Connection, a Marketplace to Accelerate Innovation in Healthcare
  • Gemelli Hospital on Track to Become More Digitized for Better Patient Management
Back To Top
CareerHospital
Copyright © CareerHospital.com
All Rights Reserved!
SPONSOR & POST
Feature your Brand & Jobs. Sponsor the Front Page of this site for less than $50 per month. Sponsors can be featured on the Front Page, Categories, Cities & Footer. Learn How