Melbourne researchers discover how key cancer-fighting gene works

MELBOURNE researchers have uncovered how a key cancer-fighting gene works, in a breakthrough that has “real outcomes” for future patient treatment.

MELBOURNE researchers have uncovered how a key cancer-fighting gene — one that is involved in at least half of all cancers globally — works to stop cancer growth.

The findings of the international study, led by the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, could lead to more effective treatments, allow doctors to better know what cancers will become more aggressive following chemotherapy, and help diagnose patients earlier.

This key gene, called p53, is present in every cell in the body and has the job as the “master regulator” of cell growth and death.

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The findings could lead to more effective treatments. Picture: Stock

Cells across the body are constantly dividing and multiplying, in which mistakes can be made when passing on DNA from one generation of cells to the next.

DNA repair mechanisms fix these mistakes so there aren’t genetic mutations, to best prevent consequences such as cancer. When p53 becomes mutated or faulty, it can no longer suppress tumours.

Co-lead author Dr Ana Janic said her team used sophisticated genetic screening to look at processes down the chain of p53 with mice models of the blood cancer, lymphoma.

They uncovered, for the first time, a number of other genes involved in DNA repair that are crucial to its function.

When these genes were removed, p53 couldn’t function properly and lymphoma developed. When the gene was returned, tumour development was significantly thwarted.

“This gene was discovered about 25 years ago but until now, we haven’t known that DNA repair is the major process that is critical for p53 to work as a tumour suppressor,” Dr Janic said.

“This has real outcomes for patients. The p53-mutated tumour doesn’t usually respond to chemotherapy, it actually becomes more aggressive.

“This means there are people we shouldn’t use the chemo drugs on, and we need to explore other options.”

Researchers around the world are developing ways to activate this gene’s ability to put the brakes on cancer growth, but these strategies are still in the laboratory.

Dr Janic, who worked with Associate Professor Marco Herold and Professor Andreas Strasser, said understanding how p53 worked was the “holy grail” in cancer research.

“This gene is faulty in 50 per cent of human cancers,” she said. “This is why finding out how this gene works is a major question in the field, and why this finding is very exciting.”

The findings were published today in the prestige journal, Nature Medicine.

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