Down syndrome gene protects against cancer
Prevents development of solid cancerous tumoursFor years doctors
have known that people with Down’s syndrome have a lower risk of some
cancers, except for leukaemia. Now a study in Nature suggests
that a single gene on their extra chromosome provides some extra protection for them.
Tests on mice appear to show that the gene prevents the development of solid
cancerous tumours. This finding could lead to news ways to treat
cancers. Writing in the journal, the researchers, led by Dr Sandra
Ryeom, said:
“It is, perhaps, inspiring that the Down’s syndrome population provides
us with new insight into mechanisms that regulate cancer growth and, by
so doing, identifies potential targets for tumour prevention and
therapy.” ~ BBC, May 20
Down syndrome
- How long can you put off seeing the doctor because of lockdowns? - December 3, 2021
- House of Lords debates assisted suicide—again - October 28, 2021
- Spanish government tries to restrict conscientious objection - October 28, 2021
One thought on “Down syndrome gene protects against cancer”
Comments are closed.
More Stories
Mortality rates for American kids are rising for the first time in 50 years
US President Joe Biden is so concerned about the future of American children that he inserted a mandate for affordable...
Will Pope Francis be composted?
Will Pope Francis be composted instead of buried in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome with his predecessors? It’s unlikely. But...
The virtues and the vices of the outrageous
A Norwegian bioethicist, Anna Smajdor, recently set out a case for “Whole Body Gestational Donation” – using the wombs of...
More than 200 people have been treated with experimental CRISPR therapies
Scientists believe that CRISPR gene editing technologies will transform medicine. But how many people have been treated so far? According...
Asia-Pacific IVF market could reach US$46 billion by 2031
According to a market survey by Allied Market Research, IVF is booming in the Asia-Pacific region. The market size was...
Third global summit on human genome editing: Moving on after the He experiment
The much anticipated Third International Summit on Human Genome Editing was held in London earlier this month to explore the...
This is interesting. I was just thinking about genetic disorders/mutations and how they’re present in populations because some confer selective advantage. I was thinking what kind of advantge could Down Sydnrome confer? Lo and behold, here’s the answer!