Researchers found a new model for the development and progression of an incurable blood cancer, multiple myeloma.
According to the researchers, multiple myeloma is one of the most common blood cancers and it is considered to be incurable. They found a conceptually new model for the progression of the deadly blood cancer. This study brings a new hope for the treatment of the disease. This study was done and published in the online journal PLos ONE in the July edition.
The researchers identified a group of genes that are silenced by the epigenetic mechanisms inside the malignant plasma cell. They used a large group of patients with myeloma to study their cells. According to Helene Jernberg Wiklund, one of the investigators in the study and the professor at the Department of Genetics and Pathology in Uppsala University, the silencing of the genes may lead to the uncontrolled growth of the malignant plasma cells.
The researchers compared the silenced gene profiles to the normal plasma cells. These normal cells are highly specialized and it is where growth and lifetime is controlled. The researchers found out that the silenced genes have a common denominator. They are targeted and controlled by the Polycomb repressor complex (PcG). It has been associated in division and self-renewal of normal embryonic cells. The researchers found that the inhibitors of PcG can also decrease the growth of the tumor cells in an animal model of myeloma.
According to the researchers, they are still not sure if the inhibitors of PcG can really decrease the growth of myeloma tumor cells on humans but they are still studying if it is possible. They also said that with this study, there will be a new hope for people with myeloma.
According to Wiklund, their strategy is to develop drugs that can treat myeloma. They will target the PcG complex to reactivate the silenced gene profile.