RNA interferes with cancer-cell growth
By John Travis
To curb the growth of cancer cells, scientists are silencing genes by introducing small strands of RNA.
This approach, known as RNA interference (RNAi), has become a popular way for investigators to study the function of genes (SN: 1/15/00, p. 36: For geneticists, interference becomes an asset). By adding to cells an RNA strand corresponding to the DNA of a gene, biologists effectively shut down that gene. Recently, researchers showed that RNAi can turn off viral genes within infected cells and thus thwart viruses, including the AIDS virus (SN: 8/10/02, p. 93: Lab tool may spawn new antiviral drugs).
Two research groups have now tested RNAi against cancer. In test-tube experiments reported in the Sept. 5 Oncogene, Ming Jiang and Jo Milner of the University of York in England use the approach to thwart tumor-cell growth generated by proteins from a human papilloma virus. When RNAi silenced two viral genes, the tumor cells stopped proliferating.
In the September Cancer Cell, a research team headed by Reuven Agami of the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam reports using RNAi to deactivate the cancer-causing mutant version of a gene known as Ras.
****************
If you have a comment on this article that you would like considered for publication in Science News, please send it to editors@sciencenews.org.
