Biology Blog
Majhor Cheel
11/1/16
Identifying How
Radiation Causes Cancer in DNA Sequence.
Researchers
for the first time are identifying the part in a DNA genome sequence that is
affected by radiation. The findings and specifics of cancer causing mutations
have never been identified really until recently by a team of scientists in
Wellcom Trust Sanger Institute. Cancer cells and tumors are abnormally growing
cells that have some sort of mutation that allows them to become uncontrolled
growth. DNA is the main regulator of all cellular life. From what and how tumor
cells arise has been an ongoing research.
The
researchers from their finding from comparing caner cells with other tumors
have found that the DNA sequence in where they are changed. It seems that their
findings have found a match in the same spot. They concluded that from the
different cells that were mutated they found the same signatures in genome. The
way a mutation In DNA from x-rays can occur by high energy wavelengths rotating
a piece of DNA to a different orientation that can cause the misreading of the
cell to produce different proteins that are different from the intended
protein. High-energy radiation can also delete sequences or cause balanced
inversion. Balance inversion is when DNA is cut into two three pieces and the
middle piece rotates backwards then gets reconnected.
Professor Adrienne Flanagan, a collaborating
cancer researcher from University College London and Royal National Orthopaedic
hospital, said: "This is the first time that scientists have been able to
define the damage caused to DNA by ionising radiation. These mutational
signatures could be a diagnosis tool for both individual cases, and for groups
of cancers, and could help us find out which cancers are caused by radiation.
Once we have better understanding of this, we can study whether they should be
treated the same or differently to other cancers."
Reading this article gives hope for
the ongoing research of cancer and gives new light to how might the future of
cancer treatment can become. We are one step closer to curing an big problem.
Source-
http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2016/09/12/study_reveals_how_ionising_radiation_damages_dna_and_causes_cancer.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+biologynews%2Fheadlines+%28Biology+News+Net%29
I find it interesting that high-energy radiation deletes sequences. I always thought that the order or properties of the gene sequence were slightly altered, and not deleted. It looks like Professor Flanagan stated that this is more of a diagnosis tool, and that in order to find a treatment, a greater knowledge of this tool needs to be gained. So I agree with you in the sense that this is the beginning of hope, though we may be a while away.
ReplyDeleteTL
Why is it then that the effects of radiation sometimes take a long time to manifest itself? Like when people are exposed then get cancer years later.
ReplyDeleteKI
i don't know the answer to that question. it seems very odd to me as well that cancer cells can arise years later rather than have a immediate effect. the best common sense response i have is that those cells effected might be slow reproducing cells? or cells that have a long life span. i also wouldnt rule out the fact that the mutations are cuased early on but the cell weren't using the part of the DNA until the life cycle requires it to translate the mutated DNA
DeleteMC
I believe that the main reason that these mutations take a certain amount of time to manifest themselves as cancer is mainly a matter of concentration. If we were to consider one cell having this mutation out of the billions in our bodies, there wouldn't be much of a significant impact on the body since there are so many other cells to counteract its minute negative effects. However, when this mutation in DNA becomes more widespread throughout the tissues, you have cells producing the wrong types of proteins on a much larger scale (this is why it takes time for cancer to manifest itself). These proteins are key factors in controlling growth factors, when you have this much uncontrolled growth among cells, the result becomes cancer. Additionally, most people are not exposed to this harmful radiation on a regular basis, which is also why these damages to DNA don't manifest themselves until later on.
DeleteDec 6 comment by Elise Smith
DeleteI read a similar post about how radiation can harm DNA, but i didn't know that it could cause different types of cancers, that would explain why they ask a patient to come back to check ups maybe the radiation is doing more harm then good in the long run.
ReplyDeleteRuth Guerra
i agree to this and it seems to me that radiation demo treatment seems like we've taken a step backwards into medieval ages of unlearned and unproven effects. this concerns me that we haven't been able to find a more suitable treatment for the last few decades.
DeleteMC
Very interesting article about understanding how ionization causes mutation in genes, which in turn cause cancer. As we understand the paths of cancer better, we have a better chance at finding a cure for it. SRH
ReplyDeleteAre the methods of treating cancer then declared to be ‘cancer causing’? Seeing that radiation does in fact cause cancer and that a high level of exposure occurs during treatment. Are there any better options or are these finding simply being withheld to the public as whole? –JA
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