Discovery of 'Bond Villain' DNA Could Be a 'Gamechanger' for Cancer Treament (theguardian.com) 24
The Guardian reports:
Scientists have pinpointed pieces of DNA which, they say, act like Bond villains in the way they help cancers spread. These microscopic agents have also been shown to be responsible for helping tumours gain resistance to anti-cancer drugs. The discovery of these bits of genetic material — known as extrachromosomal DNA or ecDNA — could revolutionise the treatments of some of the most aggressive tumours that affect people today, add the researchers....
Made up of tiny loops of DNA, these genetic villains survive outside the chromosomes which are our cells' main repositories of genetic material.... "We have found that ecDNA act as cancer-causing genes that have somehow separated themselves from a person's chromosomes and have started to behave in ways that circumvent the normal rules of genetics," said Stanford university geneticist Howard Chang. "They behave like villains in a Bond film. At first, in a film, you see different explosions, killings and disasters occurring and you don't know why they are happening or who is responsible. Then, at some point, you finally meet the villain who is revealed to be the agent of all this mayhem."
They also seem to resemble the Bond henchman who re-appears at the end of the movie. Professor Paul Mischel of California's Stanford University says that when treating the most aggressive cancers, "The vulnerable gene had quickly disappeared when threatened by cancer drugs and was hidden in ecDNA. Then it reappeared once it was safe for it to start causing damage again."
Mischel calls the discovery "a gamechanger," identifying the culprit "responsible for a large number of the more advanced, most serious cancers affecting people today. If we can block their activities, we can block the spread of these cancers."
And that hope was echoed by Dr Mariam Jamal-Hanjani of University College London Cancer Institute "The crucial point is that once we have found the cause of the problem then it becomes possible to develop and try out all sorts of drugs and therapies to tackle that." * "The discovery of how these bits of DNA behave inside our bodies is a gamechanger," said Professor Paul Mischel of California's Stanford university, one of the leaders of the programme. "We believe they are responsible for a large number of the more advanced, most serious cancers affecting people today. If we can block their activities, we can block the spread of these cancers."
Made up of tiny loops of DNA, these genetic villains survive outside the chromosomes which are our cells' main repositories of genetic material.... "We have found that ecDNA act as cancer-causing genes that have somehow separated themselves from a person's chromosomes and have started to behave in ways that circumvent the normal rules of genetics," said Stanford university geneticist Howard Chang. "They behave like villains in a Bond film. At first, in a film, you see different explosions, killings and disasters occurring and you don't know why they are happening or who is responsible. Then, at some point, you finally meet the villain who is revealed to be the agent of all this mayhem."
They also seem to resemble the Bond henchman who re-appears at the end of the movie. Professor Paul Mischel of California's Stanford University says that when treating the most aggressive cancers, "The vulnerable gene had quickly disappeared when threatened by cancer drugs and was hidden in ecDNA. Then it reappeared once it was safe for it to start causing damage again."
Mischel calls the discovery "a gamechanger," identifying the culprit "responsible for a large number of the more advanced, most serious cancers affecting people today. If we can block their activities, we can block the spread of these cancers."
And that hope was echoed by Dr Mariam Jamal-Hanjani of University College London Cancer Institute "The crucial point is that once we have found the cause of the problem then it becomes possible to develop and try out all sorts of drugs and therapies to tackle that." * "The discovery of how these bits of DNA behave inside our bodies is a gamechanger," said Professor Paul Mischel of California's Stanford university, one of the leaders of the programme. "We believe they are responsible for a large number of the more advanced, most serious cancers affecting people today. If we can block their activities, we can block the spread of these cancers."
So they haven't cured Lame Analogyitis ? (Score:2, Redundant)
Not everything has to be dumbed down.
Re:So they haven't cured Lame Analogyitis ? (Score:5, Informative)
"Extrachromosomal DNA: An Emerging Hallmark in Human Cancer " - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.go... [nih.gov]
"Cancer Grand Challenges supports a diverse, global research community to come together, think differently and take on some of cancer’s toughest challenges." - https://cancergrandchallenges.... [cancergran...lenges.org]
I want my Pussy Galore (Score:2)
Geeks want to know: Which DNA is the Bond Girl?
Re: (Score:2)
What part of Dr No don't you understand?
Admit it, the song started playing in your head (Score:1)
Dun, dun dun dun!
*trumpet sounds*
Bond viiiiilan
You can't help being bad
It's in your DNAAAAAA
Discovery? (Score:1)
This is not a discovery, well maybe for them it is. Dr Hanan Polansky discovered viruses lead to among many chronic diseases, cancer.
DNA outside the chromosomes and nucleus is usually virus or some sort of pathogen. Hence the cGAS-STING pathway that senses extracellular DNA. Some argue that the HERV lines indicate we pass positive traits to one another via viral particles.
Some viruses are small genetic programs that tether themselves to the genome, to put out oncoproteins and other viral particles. Accordin
Re:Discovery? (Score:4, Insightful)
Ya, I'm sure that NEVER occurred to these researchers. Why don't you tell them, eh? The abstract of the article:
"Human genes are arranged on 23 pairs of chromosomes, but in cancer, tumor-promoting genes and regulatory elements can free themselves from chromosomes and relocate to circular, extrachromosomal pieces of DNA (ecDNA). ecDNA, because of its nonchromosomal inheritance, drives high-copy-number oncogene amplification and enables tumors to evolve their genomes rapidly. Furthermore, the circular ecDNA architecture fundamentally alters gene regulation and transcription, and the higher-order organization of ecDNA contributes to tumor pathogenesis. Consequently, patients whose cancers harbor ecDNA have significantly shorter survival. Although ecDNA was first observed more than 50 years ago, its critical importance has only recently come to light. In this review, we discuss the current state of understanding of how ecDNAs form and function as well as how they contribute to drug resistance and accelerated cancer evolution. "
Now, does that sound like viral DNA or are you that obtuse?
Re: (Score:2)
Do more research. Cancer viruses have been known for many decades. That is totally not the same thing.
Re: (Score:2)
Cool for cats.
But this isn't about that at all.
See sig for more details.
So ... (Score:3)
They wear eye patches or monocles, live on islands and/or in volcanoes and have fluffy white cats -- and want you to die in a centrifuge [xkcd.com]?
[For you youngsters: They're DNA, so I'm assuming they've been around for a while and am thinking of older, classic Bond Villains, like Dr. No [wikipedia.org] and Ernst Blofeld [wikipedia.org] ...]
After some time... (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I see. So because you seem to see some pathological condition in your dreams, we shouldn't pursue a promising lead? I'm amazed you aren't a scientist.
Re: (Score:2)
Everybody knows once you start messing with DNA that it's only a matter of time before an incompetent IT employee lets your dinosaurs loose.
Come to think of it, James Bond going up against a genetically enhanced dinosaur as the villain doesn't sound any worse than what Hollywood has be churning out recently. Clever girl!
Re: After some time... (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Hopefully we don't see the following story in a fe (Score:2)
unhelpful metaphor (Score:2)
Like a Bond villlian, but then goes on to describe something impossible to anthropomorphize? Metaphors have their place in communicating a complex topic. This particular attempt is so convoluted that I think learning the entire field of genetics might be the easier path.
Never happen (Score:1)
Re: Never happen (Score:2)
Always one of you for each of these stories. Always.
It won't matter if it's a treatment or a cure. If covid has taught me anything it's that they just want money. Lives do not matterin the grand scheme of things, only dollars.
Ain't capitalism great?! I love that my continued existence is a product to be sold to me for a profit.
Really? (Score:2)
"At first, in a film, you see different explosions, killings and disasters occurring and you don't know why they are happening or who is responsible"
That's completely unlike any Bond movie I've seen.
The villain is often introduced in the opening scene.
Stupid (Score:2)
Likening ecDNA to "bond villains" does absolutely nothing to help explain it. Is this news written for idiots by idiots or what?