Aggressive brain tumours may be treatable using experimental stem cell reprogramming techniques, according to a study published in ‘Genes & Development’.
The research into glioblastoma, a primary form of brain cancer and the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40, was carried out at the Samantha Dickson Brain Cancer Unit, UCL and other units in Cambridge, Bristol, and London, as well as in Germany and Canada. The Samantha Dickson Brain Cancer Unit is funded by The Brain Tumour Charity.
Cancer is caused by mutations in genes that are permanent. However, it is also frequently accompanied by changes to the 'switches' that control which genes are turned on or off. If the wrong genes are turned on and off, this can lead to uncontrolled growth of cells – similar to having the accelerator pressed down and the brakes failing in a car.
These gene switches - called epigenetic regulation - are potentially reversible. However, it has been difficult to test what the consequences of reversing these would be. In this study researchers have shown that the ‘brakes’ can be widely reactivated using experimental stem cell reprogramming techniques.
Reprogramming also enabled scientists to force the cells to acquire a different identity and become cartilage - a tissue type not normally present in the brain. When they did this they found that the brakes were turned back on and tumour growth slowed down. The development is exciting as the scientists were effectively able to make this aggressive cancer become benign.
A particular problem with this form of brain tumour is the way the cells infiltrate from the tumour into the surrounding brain as it grows, which results in them being extremely difficult to remove completely by surgery. After reprogramming, the scientists found a spectacular suppression of the tendency of tumour cells to invade the surrounding brain. They have identified a gene called "TES" that may have a role in this.
This study is an important step in improving our knowledge of the important pathways and gene switches that should be targeted in glioblastoma and will help prioritise testing of new drugs.
Neil Dickson, Vice-Chair of Trustees of The Brain Tumour Charity said:
“We are proud to have funded this research, which we hope will lead to a greater understanding of this disease and further development of potential new treatments. Research into brain tumours receives a fraction of the funding of that of higher profile cancers and it is our priority to redress the balance. This is essential as figures show that advances in treatment, achieved through the dedicated work of committed researchers over the years, have had a beneficial effect. The results published today are an excellent validation of the work of our Centre of Excellence, the Samantha Dickson Brain Cancer Unit at UCL. These exciting findings give us new drive in our aim to award funding to two more Centres of Excellence within the year in our fight to beat this devastating disease.”
Dr David Scott, Director of Science Funding at Cancer Research UK, said:
“Understanding brain tumours is a real challenge facing researchers and we urgently need to acquire greater knowledge to develop new treatments which help more people diagnosed with the disease. By working together we are able to fund more research and really focus on areas that are going to make a telling difference.”
This article was published in Genes & Development 2013 Mar 15, 27 (6), to read the full text click here.
