Transient loss of Polycomb components induces an epigenetic cancer fate. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38658752/)

These scientists wanted to understand if cancer can develop in a living organism without any changes in its genetic material. They studied fruit flies called Drosophila to find out.

First, they focused on a group of proteins called Polycomb group proteins, which are important for controlling gene activity in cells. By temporarily disrupting the normal function of these proteins, the scientists observed that the fruit flies underwent a permanent change that led to the development of cancer-like cells.

The researchers discovered that this change caused certain genes, such as those involved in cell signaling and growth, to become active when they should have been silent. One of the genes that became active was similar to a known human oncogene, which is a gene that can contribute to cancer development.

Their findings suggest that altering the activity of these proteins can trigger the formation of cancer cells, even in the absence of genetic mutations typically associated with cancer. This study highlights the importance of understanding how changes in gene regulation, known as epigenetic alterations, can also play a role in cancer development.

Parreno V., Loubiere V., Schuettengruber B., Fritsch L., Rawal CC., Erokhin M., Gyorffy B., Normanno D., Di Stefano M., Moreaux J., Butova NL., Chiolo I., Chetverina D., Martinez AM., Cavalli G. Transient loss of Polycomb components induces an epigenetic cancer fate. Nature. 2024 May;629(8012):688-696. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07328-w. Epub 2024 Apr 24.