Lung cancer
A gene that protects against lung cancer has been discovered by a group of British scientists. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, Cancer Research scientists revealed they have found evidence that a gene called LIMD1, plays a significant role in preventing lung tumours developing.
The team found that mutations of the LMID1 gene, which is located on a part of chromosome 3 called 3p21, were very common in lung cancer samples. Scientists have long suspected that 3p21 would be the home to important suppressor genes as it is missing in many types of cancers.
"We have found a new tumour suppressor gene," said Dr Tyson Sharp, who led the research team at the Wolfson Institute. "Our experiments suggest its loss may be an integral part of the development of lung cancer."
Chromosome 3p21 is often deleted early in the development of lung cancer, which implies that inactivation of the LIMD1 gene could be a particularly important event in the early stages of lung cancer.
"Identifying mutations in key genes such as LIMD1 could enable earlier diagnosis of cancer, as they are early warning signs that something is going wrong," he explained.
The study, which also looked at cancer cells in mice, suggested that restoring the LIMD1 function could significantly delay any tumour growth. The discovery is an important step towards finding a treatment for lung cancer, said professor Robert Souhami, Cancer Research UK's director of Policy and Communication.
"Scientists hope to design drugs to replace the function of mutated tumour suppressor genes. The team's findings offer a new target in the search for treatments for lung cancer," he said. Scientists are now looking at whether cancer-causing toxins in tobacco leads to damage of chromosome 3p and LIMD1 inactivation.
