Kentucky Team Creates Cancer-Resistant Mice
A team of researchers at the University of Kentucky have genetically engineered a group of mice that are highly resistant to cancer.
To accomplish this, the scientists introduced additional copies of tumor-suppressing genes called Par-4 into the fertilized eggs of mice and then implanted those eggs into cancer–prone surrogates. The genetically modified eggs produced offspring which contained extra copies of Par-4 genes in all cells.
Notably, while 42 to 58 percent of the control group mice developed tumors, none of the mice with increased Par-4 genes did.
The additional genes prevent tumor development by generating a protein that causes cancer cells to die while leaving healthy cells unharmed. As one of the scientists explained,
“What is interesting is that when we introduce additional copies of this gene into normal cells or cancer cells, only the cancer cells will undergo death. The normal cells are perfectly fine…”
Vivek Rangnekar, PhD
Dept of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics
University of Kentucky
And the study indicated another benefit: the cancer resistance was passed on to subsequent generations.
If you’d like to learn more about the Par-4 mice, results of the study have been published in the journal Cancer Research.
Source: ScienCentral.com
Related Links: BBC News; FOXNews.com
Tags: NIH-funded studies; Markey Cancer Center; Lexington; apoptosis; transgenic mice
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