Scientists at the University of Chicago and the University of Texas have discovered that mutations in the TET2 gene can cause DNA to misfold, leading to the development of blood and brain cancer.
Oku.Az it is reported with reference to Gazeta.ru.
Blood cancer or leukemia is a group of serious oncological diseases that affect the hematopoietic organs and cause a sharp increase in white blood cells in the blood. Little by little they displace healthy blood cells and accumulate in various tissues and organs, altering their function.
The exact cause of leukemia is unknown. It is believed that a combination of environmental and genetic factors play a role.
The TET2 gene may play a key role in the development of blood cancer. American scientists have discovered that it plays an important role in regulating RNA methylation, which in turn affects gene expression and DNA packaging structure. Mutations in TET2 can disrupt this process and lead to inappropriate chromatin conformation and malignancy, particularly in the circulatory system and nervous tissue.
The study showed that TET2 is responsible for the RNA changes associated with the MBD6 protein. It regulates the organization of chromatin, the nucleoprotein that forms the nucleus of chromosomes. Failures in this mechanism induce cellular chaos associated with cancer development. An experiment with cells from people suffering from leukemia confirmed this hypothesis: the ability of cancer cells to produce MBD6 led to their destruction.
