In a recent study conducted by scientists Monal Patel and Marcus E. Peter from Northwestern University and published in the journal Oncotarget, a groundbreaking discovery has been made regarding an ancient mechanism with the potential to combat cancer. This mechanism, known as DISE (Death Induced by Survival gene Elimination), sheds light on the evolutionary role of RNA interference (RNAi) in the battle against cancer.
Despite the considerable progress in cancer therapy, cancer remains a prominent cause of mortality worldwide. This pervasive disease, which can afflict individuals of all ages, originates at the cellular level. When individual cells acquire mutations, they undergo a transformative process called neo-plastic transformation. The risk of accumulating mutations is particularly heightened during cell division, explaining why cancer is prevalent among multicellular organisms that evolved approximately 2 billion years ago.
Recent advances in cancer treatment, particularly through immune checkpoint blockade therapies, suggest that multicellular organisms may have evolved their immune systems as a defense mechanism against cancerous cells. However, it’s worth noting that the immune system emerged relatively recently, around 500 million years ago. Furthermore, studies have revealed that cancer cells can develop resistance to the immune system’s anticancer activities, raising the possibility that there are more effective and ancient anti-cancer mechanisms that have been preserved throughout evolution.
One such mechanism is RNA interference (RNAi), a highly conserved biological process that regulates gene expression. While RNAi initially evolved as a defense against foreign nucleic acids such as viruses, it has evolved to serve various functions within cells. The researchers’ investigation identified DISE as a novel, evolutionarily conserved form of cell death driven by RNAi. DISE specifically targets essential survival genes, and their research found that numerous short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) derived from these genes induced cell death in multiple cancer cell lines by activating multiple cell death pathways. Interestingly, attempts to inhibit this form of cell death proved unsuccessful.
This discovery of DISE offers valuable insights into ancient mechanisms for combating cancer, highlighting the significance of RNA interference in this context. The study’s findings suggest that while the immune system plays a crucial role in cancer defense, there are additional, archaic mechanisms like DISE that have persisted throughout evolution as essential tools in the ongoing battle against cancer. (Reference: “DISE, an ancient anti-cancer mechanism that senses mutational load in cancerous cells?” by Monal Patel and Marcus E. Peter, published on September 25, 2023, in Oncotarget. DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.28466)
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about RNAi-based anti-cancer mechanism
What is the significance of the DISE mechanism in cancer research?
The DISE mechanism represents an ancient anti-cancer process based on RNA interference (RNAi). It provides insights into evolution’s role in combating cancer, shedding light on potential alternative mechanisms for cancer defense.
Who conducted the research on the DISE mechanism?
The groundbreaking research on the DISE mechanism was led by scientists Monal Patel and Marcus E. Peter from Northwestern University.
How does the DISE mechanism work to combat cancer?
DISE (Death Induced by Survival gene Elimination) is an RNAi-based mechanism that targets essential survival genes within cancer cells. It induces cell death by activating multiple cell death pathways simultaneously, making it a potential tool for eliminating cancerous cells.
What is the evolutionary perspective on cancer discussed in the text?
The text highlights that cancer risk is associated with cell division and has been present in multicellular organisms for about 2 billion years. It suggests that the immune system, while vital, may not be the sole defense mechanism against cancer and that other ancient mechanisms like DISE may exist.
How was the DISE mechanism discovered?
The DISE mechanism was discovered through research on CD95 and its ligand, CD95L, which led to the identification of RNAi-based cell death targeting survival genes. Multiple short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) derived from these genes were found to induce cell death in cancer cell lines.
Where can I find the full research paper on the DISE mechanism?
The full research paper on the DISE mechanism, titled “DISE, an ancient anti-cancer mechanism that senses mutational load in cancerous cells?” by Monal Patel and Marcus E. Peter, was published in the journal Oncotarget on September 25, 2023. You can access it via the DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.28466.
More about RNAi-based anti-cancer mechanism
- Oncotarget Journal: Access the journal where the research paper on the DISE mechanism was published.
- DISE Mechanism Research Paper: Direct link to the full research paper titled “DISE, an ancient anti-cancer mechanism that senses mutational load in cancerous cells?” by Monal Patel and Marcus E. Peter.
4 comments
PatEl & Peter’s work rocks! RNAi is amazin’ stuff in cells. Immune system’s old, but DISE is older?
Always excitin’ to see new discoveries in cancer research. DISE might open doors to new therapies.
Great info, very interestin’. DISE sounds like a big deal in fightin’ cancer. Those scientists did a good job findin’ it.
So, DISE kills cancer cells by messin’ with their genes? Cool, can it be a future treatment?