An anomaly found in human DNA sparks new ideas for cancer therapy
Scientists at the University of Cambridge found quadruple helix DNA in human cells.
Controlling this new form of DNA might offer new ways to fight off cancer, Cambridge chemistry professor Shankar Balasubramanian tells BBC News.
This theory has yet to be proven, but if Balasubramanian is correct, cells that have this difference can be individually targeted.
That said, by targeting the cells, scientists could contribute to the disruption they cause, Balasubramanian said in a Cambridge statement.
Mark Bayfield, Biology professor at York, says this quadruple helix appears to occur naturally in the human body, as opposed to a laboratory-manufactured anomaly.
“[It seems] their appearance tends to correlate with cells that may have undergone oncogenic transformation or some sort of cancer associated shift. Their appearance seems to be more predominant around the time when the cell is dividing.”
However, Bayfield is keen on dispelling confusion.. “These are not four separate DNA strands coming together,” Bayfield says, “[…] this is one strand forming a knot.”
There are still many uncertainties in the discovery.
“There is a lot we don’t know yet,” Balasubramanian says. “One thought is that these quadruplex structures might be a bit of a nuisance during DNA replication—like knots or tangles that form,” he says.
Bayfield also recognizes the uncertainties.
“Drawing a correlation is a long way from having an in-depth understanding as to if what they’re observing may or may not lead to cancer.”
Just because you see phenomenon X with phenomenon Y does not mean there’s a relationship between X and Y, Bayfield explains.
The scientists, he says, “are at the stage now where they are trying to get a better understanding of whether or not that relationship is real.”
Bayfield is hopeful the discovery may be a first step in opening new possibilities for cancer treatment.
Jenn Goldasic, Contributor
