
AsianScientist (Apr. 25, 2014) – An international team of researchers led by South Korean scientist Cho Kwang-Hyun has identified the cancer inhibitory mechanism of the colon tissue, providing insights into the cause of colorectal cancer.
Organisms undergo self-renewal, which refers to processes by which they repair their own tissues. However, these processes are susceptible to random genetic mutations that are the precursor to cancer. This is particularly so for the colonic crypt, a specific region of the human colon that experiences a high probability of genetic mutation.
Cho, a professor of Bio and Brain Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), led a team that unraveled the means through which colon tissues hedge against this risk. They did so by performing in vivo experiments complemented by mathematical simulation.
The study, which was published in the journal Cell Reports, analyzed the effects of certain mutations and aberrations on the maintenance of mutant cells in colonic crypts. This enabled the identification of an inherent defense mechanism that inhibits abnormal cell division by reducing the time mutated cells reside in the crypt.
“This research has identified that (multicellular organisms are) exquisitely designed to maintain the tissue homeostasis despite abnormal cell mutation. This also proves (that) systems biology research, which is a convergence of information technology and biotechnology, can discover hidden mechanisms behind complex biological phenomena,” says Cho.
The article can be found at: Song et al. (2014) The APC Network Regulates the Removal of Mutated Cells from Colonic Crypts.
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Source: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology; Photo: Mary Margret/Flickr/CC.
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