All articles tagged with #genomic rearrangements
Harvard Medical School researchers have discovered a novel molecular mechanism that may account for up to one-third of breast cancer cases, showing estrogen not only fuels cancer growth, but directly alters cell DNA, leading to cancer-causing genomic rearrangements. This finding, while not immediately applicable to therapy, could influence the design of tests to monitor treatment response and cancer recurrence.
Mitotic tethering, a process where DNA ends are held together during cell division, enables the inheritance of shattered micronuclear chromosomes, a common cause of genomic rearrangements in cancer. Researchers found that the CIP2A-TOPBP1 complex safeguards chromosomal stability during mitosis by tethering DNA ends, preventing chromosome pulverization and promoting proper chromosome segregation. The study sheds light on the mechanisms behind chromothripsis and may lead to new therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.