New research reveals that polyploid giant cancer cells , which can adapt and survive post-therapy, are key to cancer recurrence. These cells change genes to protect themselves against treatment, later dividing to cause tumor regrowth. Targeting these cells with specific inhibitors like p21 during therapy might improve cancer treatment outcomes.
Lab members had observed giant abnormal-looking cells during the short-term experiments but had considered them to be “doomed.” When the time frame was extended, they were surprised to observe that these cells generated small offspring. These funky-looking PGCCs were visually different from other cancer cells. They were able to make copies of their genetic information, increasing the number of nuclei. However, the cytoplasm was not dividing, and so the cells grew monstrously, containing multiple nuclei instead of only one.
“The inhibitor did not kill cancer cells better,” said Voelkel-Johnson. “Instead, it prevented the generation of offspring from the polyploid giant cancer cells.” One protein that specifically piqued their interest was p21, which is induced by a protein called p53 when normal cells are stressed. In normal cells, p21 prevents duplication of damagedThe Hollings research team showed that stress in cancer cells lacking p53 also increased p21, but the protein did not stop the duplication of damaged DNA, as it did in normal cells. As a result, p21 helped to set the stage for the generation of the PGCCs.
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Source: Newsweek - 🏆 468. / 52 Read more »