abnormal light / dark cycle, or specific gene knockout, can induce lung tumor growth. Image source: Cell Metabolism
uncontrolled growth
why lack the two genes of Bmal1 and Per2, and will the tumor grow crazy? It turns out that they can regulate a cancer - stimulating protein called c-myc protein, without the regulation of Bmal1 and Per2, and the accumulation of c-myc protein, making the cell metabolism and proliferation activity more active.
"C-myc protein is very critical in the proliferation of new cells. Once it gets out of control, it's like opening Pandora's box." Papagiannakopoulos said so.
Joseph Takahashi, head of the neuroscience department at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, said the study gave an important link between cancer and biological clock dysfunction. "This work clearly and clearly points out that there is a very close relationship between biological clocks and cancer / cancer," he said.
MIT researchers also analyzed human lung tumor cell samples, and found that compared with normal lung cells, the expression level of Bmal1 and Per2 genes was lower, and the other key biological clock genes were similar, and the more serious the tumor, the more obvious.
researchers are now trying to figure out whether there are some weak links that can be used as potential drug targets for cancer cells that have problems with the biological clock, such as the lack of Bmal1, Per2 genes. In addition, researchers want to know whether other cancers are related to biological clocks in addition to lung cancer.