Unraveling the Mystery of Cell Division Reversal
A study led by researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) challenges the long-held belief that cells cannot reverse their decision to divide once they enter the cell cycle. The study found that cells preparing to divide can halt the division process and return to a resting state if interrupted early enough. This discovery could lead to more effective treatments for interrupting the rapid division and spread of cancer cells. The researchers suggest that drugs inhibiting cell cycle regulators CDK4 and CDK6, such as the breast cancer drug palbociclib, may work differently than previously thought and could be combined with traditional chemotherapy drugs to design more durable therapies.