|
Scientists unveil method for blocking cancer-promoting DNA circles
Research shows that ecDNA circles hitchhike on chromosomes to spread to daughter cells. Blocking these circles could enable the development of new cancer therapies.
Small, cancer-associated DNA circles “hitchhike” on chromosomes during cell division to spread efficiently to daughter cells by co-opting a process used to maintain cellular identity through generations, Stanford Medicine-led research has found.
These circles, known as extrachromosomal or ecDNA, are major drivers in human cancers. Blocking their ability to associate with chromosomes causes the loss of the circles during cell division and the death of lab-grown cancer cells. Targeting this weak link in the circles’ proliferation could lead to new classes of cancer therapies, the researchers predict. (More)
| 
