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Discovered a new factor to control oncogene-induced senescence

By 21 de May de 2013November 18th, 2020No Comments
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An image of the research group coordinated by Dr Marta Cascante. Sourece: UB.
 21.05.2013

Discovered a new factor to control oncogene-induced senescence

An article published on the journal Nature describes the major role that Pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) —an enzyme of cellular energy metabolism— plays in the regulation of the cellular senescence induced by the oncogene BRAF, which usually appears mutated in melanoma and other cancers. The researchers who participated in this international research are: Marta Cascante and Vitaly Selivanov, from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the Faculty of Biology of the UB and the Institute of Biomedicine of the UB (IBUB), affiliated to the campus of International excellence Barcelona Knowledge Campus (BKC).


Professor Marta Cascante, head of the Consolidated Research Group on Integrative Systems Biology, Metabolomics and Cancer of the UB honoured with the ICREA Academia Award 2010, explains that “as a response to an oncogene mutation, cell can activate its protection mechanisms and get into a phase so-called ‘oncogene-induced senescence’ which acts as a key tumour suppressive mechanism. In this phase, cell stops dividing and is in a premalignant state.

Professor Marta Cascante, head of the Consolidated Research Group on Integrative Systems Biology, Metabolomics and Cancer of the UB honoured with the ICREA Academia Award 2010, explains that “as a response to an oncogene mutation, cell can activate its protection mechanisms and get into a phase so-called ‘oncogene-induced senescence’ which acts as a key tumour suppressive mechanism. In this phase, cell stops dividing and is in a premalignant state. However, when this ‘brake’ does not work correctly, the progression to a malignant state may happen and a tumour may appear. To identify which mechanisms regulate this cell phase is crucial to avoid tumour formation or reverse this process and to define future therapies”.